Anderson began his hurling career at club level with Glen Rovers. He broke onto the club's senior team as an 18-year-old in 1996, having earlier enjoyed success in the Cork Under-21 Championship. Anderson made 41 championship appearances at senior level for the club before retiring from the game in 2012.
At inter-county level, Anderson was part of the successful Cork under-21 team that won back-to-back All-Ireland Championships in 1997 and 1998. He joined the Cork senior team in 2003. Throughout his inter-county career Anderson was better-known as a panellist rather than a member of the starting fifteen and made a combined total of five National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2004. During that time he was a non-playing member of Cork's All-Ireland Championship-winning team in 2004. Anderson also secured a Munster Championship medal as a non-playing substitute.
Playing career
Glen Rovers
Anderson joined the Glen Rovers club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. On 12 November 1995, he was at midfield when Glen Rovers defeated Ballincollig by 2-14 to 1-14 to win the Cork Under-21 Championship.
Anderson was just out of the minor grade when he was added to the Glen Rovers senior team for the 1996 Cork Championship. He made his first appearance on 2 June in a 2-12 to 1-12 defeat of Midleton in the first round.
Anderson ended the 2004 Cork Championship as top scorer after recording a total of 0-47 from six games.
On 25 August 2012, Anderson played his last game at senior level for Glen Rovers. He lined out at left wing-forward in a 1-13 to 0-14 defeat by Carrigtwohill in the fourth round of the Cork Senior Championship.[2]
Cork
Under-21
Anderson first played for Cork as a member of the under-21 team during the 1997 Munster Championship. He made his first appearance on 17 July when he was introduced as a substitute in Cork's 2-13 to 1-14 defeat of Clare. Anderson won a Munster Championship medal as a non-playing substitute on 30 July following a 1-11 to 0-13 defeat of Tipperary in the final. He was a non-playing substitute once again for the subsequent 3-11 to 0-13 All-Ireland final defeat of Galway on 21 October.
Anderson became a member of the starting fifteen during the 1998 Munster Championship. On 23 August, he won a second successive Munster Championship medal from right wing-forward after a 3-18 to 1-10 defeat of Tipperary in the final. Anderson was dropped from the starting fifteen for the All-Ireland final against Galway on 20 September. He was introduced as a substitute and collected a second successive winners' medal after the 2-15 to 2-10 victory.
Senior
Anderson joined the Cork senior panel during the 2003 season. On 29 June he was a non-playing substitute when Cork defeated Waterford by 3-16 to 3-12 to win the Munster Championship.[3] On 14 September, Anderson was also a non-playing substitute for Cork's 1-14 to 1-11 All-Ireland final defeat by Kilkenny.[4]
Anderson made his first appearance for the Cork senior team on 24 April 2004. He scored two points from right wing-forward in a 2-20 to 0-18 defeat by Clare in the National League.[5] Anderson made his first championship appearance on 16 May when he was introduced as a substitute in Cork's 4-19 to 1-07 defeat of Kerry in the Munster Championship. On 12 September, he was an unused substitute when Cork defeated Kilkenny by 0-17 to 0-09 in the All-Ireland final.[6] Anderson was released from the panel after the championship.
