The National Hurling League's top division featured fourteen teams divided into two equal groups - 1A and 1B.
The top two teams from Division 1A automatically qualified for the knock-out semi-finals.
In spite of losing two group games and finishing second in Division 1A, Cork won the league title following a 4-15 to 4-6 defeat of Limerick in a replay of the final.
[3] Down at the other end of the tables, Kilkenny and Clare won just two of their group stage games and were both relegated to Division 1B.
Kildare finished the group stage without a single win and were relegated to Division 2.