Guided by Cunningham, inspired by Schmeichel, Anthony Nash is  still learning

Anthony Nash’s rise to the top wasn’t a smooth progression. His puck-out needed improving. He needed to calm himself when he made mistakes. He spent years on the bench with Cork.

The journey was a long one, and the beginnings were tentative. He was “10 or so” when the Kanturk U14s needed a goalie. He was thrown into goal for them.

“At my own age group, I was playing out the field, but in age groups above me I was in goal. By the time I got to 14 or so I was in goal all the time. While I played outfield for the club at intermediate for a while — centre-back — it didn’t really work out for the team. I enjoyed it, playing outfield, when I was 12 or so I was always outfield, but I ended up getting stuck in goal.