Cork legend Brian Corcoran says relegation to Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League isn't necessarily a bad thing for Jimmy Barry-Murphy's team.

Corcoran, who was part of a Cork team that played in the old Division 2 before winning the 1999 All-Ireland under Barry-Murphy, believes the Rebels could benefit from a season outside the top tier.

"To be honest, I'm not a fan of the league system," he said in the Irish Examiner.

"Cork didn't have that bad a league this year, they had two draws and in the games they lost they were pretty close. It's hard to know if being in Division 1B will make a big difference, because a lot of the time the league is about trying out new players.

"I remember back in the '90s we were down in a lower division and, while not saying the teams are easier down there, winning games can help to build up a bit of confidence.

"You can try out younger players too without throwing them in at the deep end, it's very hard to give a young fella his league debut in somewhere like Nowlan Park, for example.

"I tend to look at things positively, as a whole you'd prefer they stayed up but at the same time there's a good opportunity to get a few wins under the belt and end up in a playoff situation." Tweet

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