Cork sharpshooter Shane Kingston thinks the GAA should let players from clubs that have been knocked out of their respective championships resume inter-county training earlier.
Individual clubs can start training together again from the end of this month and club championships can begin on 31 July.
But inter-county group training is not set to commence until 14 September, a month before those Championships will begin.
With some, if not most, counties expected to revert to knock-out formats to try and play off their competitions more quickly, inter-county players from clubs eliminated early on could be left kicking their heels for extended periods, while those progressing to the latter stages could join up late.
"Realistically, it is very hard that you have a two-week run into inter-county Championship," Kingston told RTÉ Sport.
"If you're knocked out early, which could happen anyone... I personally think you should (be allowed to resume training earlier).
"That's up to the GAA really. Hopefully, they might change their minds. I don’t know if they can to be honest (but) they might bring it back two weeks.
"But look it, 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. 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."
However, Kingston does hope the novel situation could inspire Douglas, who also feature the Cadogan brothers and Brian Turnbull, to a first Cork SHC crown.
"We probably have been favourites or second favourites for the county in the last few years and obviously not shown it because we have been gone fairly quick.
"We have a very strong panel and we have underachieved really over the past few years.
"You usually only have a week or two with the clubs. It will be nice to get everyone together, to be training together properly, to have a good stab off it."
Many GAA players have spoken about their desire to get back on to the pitch after months of coronavirus disruption.
Kingston is "delighted" that play will soon restart but he is concerned that some inter-county players will have taken stock during the quieter recent months and begun to question the levels of commitment they put into an amateur sport.
The economics and computer science student was asked whether he thought recently retired county colleagues like Daniel Kearney might be tempted to return this year.
"I think it will go the other way to be honest," the 22-year-old replied. I think people will come to the realisation of the commitment GAA requires."
"They'll be reflecting now on their time off and be like 'Jesus, is it worth it?'. Obviously for me, I love it. It's my life. But for older people they might be like, 'time off is nice.'
"So it depends what way you look at it. Some fellas that have left, they might think, 'I'd love to go back'. Then somebody that's in it that's pushing on and getting a bit older, they might think it's such a commitment.
"Usually, we'd train collectively three or four days a week. You'd be doing something else every other night of the week. The commitment is getting fierce.
"But if you want to win an All-Ireland, you're kind of trying to do more than the opposition. So if you look at it realistically, that's just going to keep going up and up and up. Everybody wants to have that edge over everyone else, so they’re going to try and do more."
Kingston isn't expecting any favours off the Cork management when he links up again with the county setup.
His father Kieran is back for a second spell in charge of the Rebels, having stepped down after the All-Ireland semi-final exit in 2017.
"He is telling me what to do anyway, but he hasn't come down yet thank God," jokes Shane of training over the last couple of months.
"I'm no different in his eyes to anyone else. If I'm not good enough I won’t be played or if I’m playing bad I’ll be whipped off fairly quick.
"I wasn't too surprised when he decided to go back because in '17 he left the door open, he never said he wouldn’t go back.
"It makes no difference to me to be honest. I’m going out there and doing my best regardless."
Cork are hurling's second most successful county but it has been a long time since Liam MacCarthy lingered on Leeside.
Whatever form the Championship takes this year, Kingston believes winning it will be an achievement that shouldn't come with an asterisk.
"If we won an All-Ireland, I wouldn't mind if it was the corona All-Ireland!
"Anyone who wins it this year, it's probably more of an achievement given the lack of training, the different time of the year and how long a year it's been for people as well.
"Whoever wins it this year, it's a credit to them, to be honest."
