DONAL ÓG CUSACK has paid tribute to Anthony Nash after the Cork goalkeeper’s retirement, classing him as an example of a sportsperson who ‘got the most out of himself’.

Nash announced on Sunday that he was retiring from the inter-county game after a long hurling career and his fellow All-Star winning netminder praised the contribution of the Kanturk man.

“I think Anthony got the most out of himself, he’s served that jersey very well. We were exchanging messages the other night and I would say that for any sportsperson, of course winning is important, but at the end of the day it’s about how much you got out of yourself really. Anthony got the most out of himself as a sportsperson. That’s that ultimate question, when you look in the mirror and there’s no one else around, that’s the question that you’ll be asking yourself as a sportsperson.

“It’s only you ultimately can answer that but from what I saw of Anthony he did. Added into that, he was the best in his position at his chosen sport for a couple of years which is no mean achievement either and hopefully that gives him good satisfaction going into his retirement. But he’s served that jersey very well.”

Cusack was a long-term team-mate of Nash before the Kanturk man moved from goalkeeping understudy to successor between the posts on Cork teams.

Three-time All-Ireland senior medallist Cusack regards the training ground work with Nash and fellow goalkeeper Martin Coleman as some of the best memories of his own sporting career, while also pointing to their character at staying involved while seeing little gametime.

“I was lucky I trained with great players, Anthony Nash, Martin Coleman, top, top class players. Even if you look at Martin’s career, you can just maybe get a break or not get a break but you’ve to be some type of character to stick it out if you like.

“Because being a sub goalkeeper is a different type of position, especially as you get older, it’s probably different if you were just maybe 18, 19 or 20. But I will say then when it comes to goalkeeping, I’d be a strong believer that your goalkeeper is a long-term investment as well. With the likes of Anthony when he came in and established himself then, it was no surprise to me that once he got in, was established, that he was there for so long.

“But again all credit to him. It was a thing I was fierce conscious of. I was obviously goalkeeper for a number of years and I had nothing but the height of admiration and respect for himself and Martin Coleman. My memories of training with those lads, whilst playing and competing, but some of my greatest and happiest memories in sport was the competition we’d have amongst ourselves out there. The thing that we were all pursuing which was to get the most out of yourself. So I’m very happy for him that I’d imagine he should be very satisfied with his career and I hope he is.”

Nash’s retirement announcement was followed by Aidan Walsh’s statement last night that it had been ‘a pleasure and a privilege’ to play for the county as his focus was moving to the club game.

After their qualifier exit last month in the All-Ireland hurling championship, Cork’s squad is set to enter a phase of change.

“It sounds like it,” remarked Cusack.

“Again I know as much as you now about it. It obviously sounds like change over the last couple of days. It’s part and parcel of sport.”

Cork minor hurling manager Donal Óg Cusack. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Cusack’s own Cork hurling focus is on the minor team he manages who face into a Munster semi-final next Saturday against Limerick.

It has been a challenging season, Cork only played their opening game in October when defeated against Clare and then the campaign was put on hold again.

The Cork boss admits it ‘is tough’ not being able to bring their full squad of players to attend the game in Semple Stadium due to the current restrictions. One parent of each player does qualify for entry to the the match.

“It doesn’t apply for the minors (for full panel to attend). It is tough because you are going to Thurles, you are playing against Limerick in a Munster semi-final.

“We started with 150 (players). Then there was phone calls made to a load of those lads. Then we brought the squad down to 40. We were looking at reducing the squad before the first lockdown, but then word started coming through that there could be a lockdown and we said we couldn’t do that to any of the young lads so we kept them on board.

“Having to reduce the squad from 40 down to 30, they are all tough calls and then the lads that won’t make it, but it is just part and parcel of sport. But of course it is a tough thing and not a nice thing. You would like to think that in stadiums that size that you would be able to cater for the extra players, but I think that conversation has been well played elsewhere at this stage.

“The parents will drive the players. We had the option of going by buses which would you mean you would take two buses, but to be honest, you could get caught in such a grey area of conversation. We just wanted to eliminate that so the parents drive the players and they all travel separately, as do all the management.”