ALAN CADOGAN DIDN’T have to look very far to find a role model.

Big brother Eoin is six years older and, as both men will quickly tell you, a very different type of player.

But when he was driving down to the Rochestown ball alley for extra Sunday morning sessions with some of Cork hurling’s biggest names, Alan was never far behind.

Pushing himself against men like Donal Óg Cusack, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Tom Kenny and John Gardiner while he was still a teen.

“People say there was extra pressure on me growing up, but definitely not,” Cadogan recalls.

“You are in an environment as well where you are exposed to an intercounty level and what it takes to play there.

I was into that at a young age, going to the ball alley at a young age, the gym too, and was exposed to that. Thankfully that helped me.

After a breakout league campaign, Cadogan has established himself as one of the country’s bright young talents.

He’s a dual star, like his brother, although the small ball has hogged his attention this year at U21 and at senior level.

That looked to be a very shrewd call when he put on a man-of-the-match performance in his senior Championship debut against Waterford last month.

Now all the focus is on Sunday’s replay in Semple Stadium.

“Coming up through the ranks, I played hurling and football at minor and U21 as well.

“I enjoy them both equally.

“Lucky enough I had a few league games there with the hurling and got a bit of a breakthrough. My main focus is on Waterford.”

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