Cork's Shane Kingston fears intercounty prep time is inadequate

Kingston has steadily progressed since making his senior debut in 2017 for the Rebels

The All-Ireland Championships are set to start on October 17 this year, with intercounty teams not allowed to train until September 14.

Up to that point, clubs will have full access to players, meaning intercounty camps must bide their time before they begin training.

And some club championships may run into early-October, meaning the players involved in the final may not join up with the county squad until the 11th hour.

"If you think about it, realistically, it is very hard that you have a two-week run into intercounty championship," opined Cork's Shane Kingston.

"I suppose if you're back with your club, you are back hurling, and playing championship. It isn't that bad, you will be getting up to speed in the club championship really, hopefully avoiding injury as well."

Kingston was named Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Rising Star Hurling Player of the Year

But will intercounty teams adhere to the ban?

"That's up to the GAA really," said the Douglas man. "Hopefully they might change their minds, I don't know if they can to be honest. They might bring it back two weeks.

"But look, people are back playing with their clubs, so it's not like they're not hurling. They're still getting their training, they're still getting their matches in. That would be the biggest issue, getting match intensity. But if you're playing club championship, it's something anyway. It's better than nothing. Except if you get knocked out early. It's not ideal! You'll just have to be working on your own."

The 22-year-old was hoping to bring his UCC form into the Cork set-up before the action was halted

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But is it fair to ask county players whose club are eliminated in early August not to join back up with their county panel?

"I personally think you should anyway but look that's not our decision," he said. "I suppose if you're knocked out early which could happen anyone, it could happen us (Douglas), it is your own responsibility to keep yourself fit and get on with as much as you can really. It's an awkward one."

And with a hectic winter schedule ahead, Kingston is braced for a long, drawn-out period of no downtime, as two seasons merge together.

"If you think about it, that will be a full 15/16-month season of non-stop which will be fairly hard," he noted.

"Fellas will be burnt out and picking up injuries without a rest. For the year that's in it you'll just try get over it. I've no issue provided we get to play. If you think about it then, if intercounty goes to January or February, the Fitzgibbon [Cup] then is out the window so that's up for them to decide.

"If an All-Ireland is played in January or February, are you going to have league then two weeks later? I don't know."