Allianz Hurling League Division One semi-final: Limerick v Cork (Saturday, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm, live on TG4)
He's a reigning Allstar and fresh off being nominated for Hurler of the Year but Barry Nash feared early in his Limerick career that this 'isn't going to work for me'.
The former underage star has emerged as one of the most important players for John Kiely's three-in-a-row All-Ireland winners, nailing down the number four jersey.
But it wasn't until a surprise switch from attack to defence in 2020 that the 26-year-old's career belatedly lifted off.
Nash made a series of League and Championship appearances as a forward in 2016 but didn't start again in either competition until the move to defence four years later.
"There was definitely probably a stage where I was thinking, 'This isn't going to work for me' but obviously my Dad would have played for Limerick and I have uncles there, Declan as well, who would have all played," said Nash at the launch of the oneills.com All-Ireland U20 hurling championship.
"All my other uncles on that side were great to just (advise me). I suppose they would have went through stages in their career where they looked at it thinking, 'I mightn't be getting in here, is it worth staying, is it not worth staying?' And they basically talked me into staying. They would have said, 'It's definitely worth it' and thank God they did at the time because look what we went on to achieve."
Nash was nominated for the Hurler of the Year award in 2022 along with TJ Reid who bounced back from a similar crisis of confidence early in his county career with Kilkenny.
"In '17 and '18 I was struggling big time and '19 as well, just trying to get into the team and lads were going so well it was impossible to break into a winning team," said Nash.
"Then in 2019 they came to me with the idea of going into the backs and I think at that stage I was kind of saying, 'I'm obviously not being looked at here in the forwards so it's no harm to change it up and see what happens' and thankfully I agreed with Paul's (Kinnerk) and John's (Kiely) decision to go back there and it worked out for the best."
Nash looks set to line out for Limerick again on Saturday evening against Tipperary in their Allianz League semi-final.
Boss Kiely has plenty of options with 37 different players used so far in just five League games, the highest level of experimentation across the two Division One groups.
"The competition there is ridiculous," said Nash. "The fighting for places, it's a tough environment to be in but it's a great environment. Having that competition really drives everyone on. If you didn't have that competition for places, you might rest on your laurels. It's important to have a strong panel and I think it's one of the strongest panels we've ever had."
Nash also believes that the group can reach new levels of excellence this year.
"Even last year, I don't think we got to the levels we wanted to get to," he said. "I think there was more in us, I really do believe that. I think we're going to try to get to those highs this year."
Limerick's only defeat this season so far has come to Cork, who contest Sunday's other semi-final against Kilkenny in Nowlan Park.
Westmeath will take on Laois in the Division One relegation play-off on Saturday at 2pm in Thurles.
