Nash not distracted from Kanturk’s final business

IT has not been easy for Anthony Nash to separate himself from county final hype this week.

Being employed outside Kanturk should mean he can switch his focus away from tonight’s junior football showdown in Páirc Uí Rinn. But as the business and accounting teacher works in the Presentation Convent Secondary School in Mitchelstown, their opponents as they vie for the JFC title, it’s difficult to avoid pre-game chat.

“There’s a good bit of banter this week alright,” laughed Nash.

“Once Mitchelstown won their semi-final, the excitement started to build around here. When I’m driving to work in the morning, you see the black and red bunting all over the town. One of the students here as well is a daughter of one of the Mitchelstown players, Dave Moher, and a lot of them will be going to the game shouting for Mitchelstown. They’re a very strong side and with someone like Larry Tompkins in charge you know they’ll be very well prepared.”

It’s a massive occasion for Mitchelstown, who are contesting a decider in this grade for the first time since 1973 and are in pursuit of their first victory since 1961. But in Kanturk the sense of feverish anticipation is just as palpable. Through his exploits for Cork, Nash has accumulated a wealth of big-game experience.

He has lined out as a goalkeeper for the county at minor, U21 and senior levels and was also part of the 2009 UCC Fitzgibbon Cup winning team. Yet while he may have sampled county final day with his division Duhallow, the prospect of appearing at that stage with his club is a new one.

“This is something completely new for all of us. Kanturk have never been in a junior football final and you have to go back to 1949 when we reached a junior hurling final. We’ve a lot of experience from lads playing for Cork and Duhallow but getting to this stage with your club is very special.”

The experience that Nash refers to is not just restricted to the national stage with their talismanic midfielder Aidan Walsh having spent the last couple of weeks in Melbourne and the Gold Coast with the Irish International Rules squad. Walsh’s involvement led to the deferral of tonight’s match but Nash insists there was no one in Kanturk complaining.

“Everyone was just delighted for Aidan, that he was picked. It was an incredible opportunity to him. And there was no question of any of the players having a problem with the county final being put back. Look it’s tough for Aidan, only coming back to Ireland on Tuesday and then trying to get over the jetlag before we play Mitchelstown. But I know he’ll have himself right for the match.”

Nash is better recognised as a hurling goalkeeper yet when he switches codes he features as an attacker. The opportunity to play outfield is something Nash relishes and after watching neighbours Newmarket claim the Premier IFC title last month, he is now intent on following in their wake.

“I played a bit in goal in football when I was younger but I wasn’t great to be honest and I’m better off outfield. It’s a change from what I’m used to in hurling and I love playing out there.

“Winning the Duhallow title a couple years ago after a gap of 47 years was massive for us but we want add a county to it now. I was delighted for Newmarket a few weeks ago, that was a serious achievement by them, but it’d be great if we could manage that as well.”