Donal Og Cusack says he's "hopeful" that his former Cork team-mates can make an impact on this year's hurling championship.

The Rebels were relegated to Division 1B of the Allianz League last month, and their recently-retired goalkeeper admits they will have to find consistency if they're to challenge for Munster and All-Ireland honours in the months ahead.

Cusack, who will turn his hand to TV punditry this summer, told RTE: "During the league Cork have been a bit Jekyll and Hyde if you like. They started off fantastically against Tipperary. Obviously relegation was very disappointing. We do consider ourselves a serious hurling county. It is a results business.

"I think the management have a tough job ahead of them. But I think they would like to be judged on results themselves and rightly so. It seems there is a tough road ahead. It seems Clare alone will be a big challenge, to get over that. We'd still be hopeful. You'd never right Cork off in a Championship game. Hopeful would be my position.

"The big question, like it has been for the last number of years in the All-Ireland, is can Kilkenny be stopped or are they going to stop themselves. It definitely doesn't look that way. It didn't look that way from the league final when you look at the performance that they put in, given the players they were missing.

"Closest to them is Tipperary, I don't think they will be too disappointed with the result in the league in the final. After that, the chasing pack is well behind them at the moment. The big question for Galway is can they put two good years back-to-back. Traditionally they haven't done that." Tweet

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