Former Cork City FC boss Ger Nash smelled of alcohol after crashing car in Midleton, court told

'Strong smell of alcohol from him and his eyes were bloodshot,' garda tells Midleton court

Ger Nash appeared before Midleton District Court on Thursday having elected to contest the case. File picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Former Cork City FC manager Ger Nash was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcohol when he crashed his car in to signage near a bridge in Midleton last November, gardaí told a court hearing on Thursday.

Mr Nash, formerly of Fota Island, Co Cork, and now living in Sweden, was subsequently charged with dangerous driving and drink driving in Midleton on November 6, 2025.

 Mr Nash, who also previously played football for Ipswich Town in the UK, appeared before Midleton District Court on Thursday having elected to contest the case.

Garda Jerome Maher told the court that he arrived at arrived at the scene near the Lakeview Roundabout shortly after 3am on November 6, 2025. He noted that a car had crashed in to signage. Garda Maher said he spoke to the driver of the vehicle, Mr Nash.

“There was a strong smell of alcohol from him and his eyes were bloodshot,” said Garda Maher. 

The garda said he formed the opinion that Mr Nash was intoxicated and incapable of driving a vehicle. He arrested him on suspicion of committing an offence.

An evidenzer test was conducted at Midleton Garda Station and Mr Nash was found to have 52mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, exceeding the legal limit.

Mr Nash made no reply to gardaí when he was charged under caution. He was bailed to appear in court later that month. 

Garda Maher said it was his belief that Mr Nash drove straight through the roundabout, crashing in to signage on the far side of the roundabout directly in front of a bridge. He noted the presence of tyre marks at the roundabout.

'Unsteady on his feet and swaying'

Garda Shay Dempsey said that when he arrived at the scene shortly after 3am on November 6, 2025 a white vehicle was embedded in to the road. 

He said that Mr Nash was “unsteady on his feet and swaying” when he spoke to him and that two passers-by who stopped to assist at the scene were “effectively keeping him up".

Garda Dempsey said Mr Nash told him he was on his way to Cobh. He noted the smell of “intoxicating liquor” from his breath and that his eyes were also bloodshot.

Witness Liam Murray was delivering school meals in the Carrigtwohill area of east Cork when he spotted a white car heading in the direction of Midleton.

He said he was coming from the slip road on to the dual carriageway sometime after 2.30am when a white hatchback passed him in the overtaking lane.

He said when he got further up the road at 'Minister's Hill', the same car was going slow. He guessed that it was travelling at 20km/h-30km/h.

Mr Murray passed the white car in the right-hand lane. He said that further down the road at the turnoff to Midleto, the same white car passed him on the right-hand lane. 

Mr Murray said the car was going fast and that the next he saw of it was when it had crashed and hit signage near the Lakeview roundabout.

"He went straight through up on top of the grass, there is a walkover bridge on the other side and he hit the middle pillar," said Mr Murray.

He acknowledged that he didn't witness the crash but arrived on the scene seconds after it occurred.

He said he parked his car and approached Mr Nash, who was outside the car, to check on his welfare. He said Mr Nash asked if he knew the way to Fota and questioned whether it was "OK to park there".

Defence case

Graham Hyde, defending, asked Mr Murray how he could be sure that the white car on the road was the same car that was involved in the accident. Mr Murray said he saw no other cars on the road at that time of the morning.

Mr Hyde said there was no evidence his client was driving dangerously on the night of the alleged offence. He said it was unsafe to convict Mr Nash on the evidence of a motorist who saw a white vehicle at various intervals. He also said the crash wasn’t witnessed by anyone.

The Judge asked Mr Hyde to make written submissions on the case. 

Mr Nash was remanded on continuing bail until September 17 when the judge will make a decision on the case.

Mr Nash stepped down from his role at Cork City FC in December last year. 

He now works as assistant coach at Swedish champions Mjallby having taken up the role a week after he stepped down from his role in Leeside.