No slow start for Kelly and the Dubs

Dublin back Peter Kelly feels that he and his Dublin team mates will need a bright start to 2012 if they want any chance of retaining their Allianz National Hurling Division One title.

The All-Star nominated defender believes that the wrong start in the new league format could mean a relegation battle and undo all the work done over the last number of years.

"The new structure does not give you that period where you can blood in new players, or to try and get used to a team," Kelly said speaking to the Irish Examiner.

"You are straight into the intensity of it. It is a good thing in a way because it does not give you the opportunity to try ease your way into it.

"You have to up the intensity straight away and, if you don't, you could be in trouble in terms of relegation. No team wants to go down to Division 2 because it is going to be very hard to compete in the championship if that happens. So, for us anyway, we will seek to hit the ground running."