Colman Corrigan was part of a Cork team that went toe to toe with Kerry and won as many Munster clashes as they lost.
At Páirc Uí Rinn tomorrow evening, Corrigan isn't expecting miracles from the current generation in the blood and bandages.
Like the vast majority in Cork, he knows All-Ireland favourites Kerry should win.
But what he expects is non-stop effort from his team.
"Look, it isn't a case for me of 'f*** it, we're going to get hammered'," said the former full-back, a back to back AllStar winner in 1987-88.
"But I don't think it will come to that if I'm honest. I can't see anything but a Kerry win. but we can come up with a hell of a performance to make Cork people proud. That's what I'm going to Páirc Uí Rinn to see."
Corrigan won four Munster titles and two All-Irelands with Cork. He played in the 1983 Munster final, when the Rebels scored a last minute goal to grasp victory from the jaws of defeat.
But that wasn't the one he remembers most fondly. What stood out was the '87 meetings.
Cork led late on when Mikey Sheehy scored a last minute goal to edge Kerry ahead, only for a Larry Tompkins point to force a replay in Killarney.
"Everyone felt we had lost our chance," Corrigan recalled.
"But we gathered ourselves in the dressing-room in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, then we went to Killarney and blew Kerry away.
"Kerry people can say their team had gone over the top by that stage but they still had Sheehy, the Bomber, plenty of those fellas. That was the one that stood out for me, definitely."
For Cork people of Corrigan's generation it has been tough to watch the Kingdom become such a dominant force in the rivalry.
He tells how Cork were able to harness the two All-Ireland under-21 winning teams from 1980 and '81, and the under-21 side that reached the semi-finals the following year - gelling that talent pool with the battle hardened group already in the senior championship trenches.
"We were so blessed, we had a wonderful bunch of young fellas coming up. Getting (Billy) Morgan back from the States was the turning point," said the Macroom man.
"We were very lucky but then we created our own luck because we worked bloody hard at it. But the younger lads like Barry Coffey and Mike Slocum who hadn't been beaten by the Jack O'Sheas and Bombers spurred it on.
"You look at it now and the minors are 16 and the under-20s are that bit further off from senior level.
"We won the under-20 All-Ireland three years ago, but it's hard. Until we get a real glut of young talent coming through, progress will be hard to make. It is sad for those with a grá for following Cork teams."
Corrigan criticised Cork's conditioning during this year's League campaign.
He questioned why Kerry players were stronger and fitter when the sides met in a McGrath Cup game in January when the Rebels were well into a five-year plan that promised improvement in that area.
"I was standing watching the game with Billy Morgan and we were looking at Adrian Spillane," he said.
"Billy had him for a couple of years in UCC and couldn't get over how strong he was. It was an eye-opener."
In the end, Cork needed to win their final two League games to stay in Division 2 and pulled it off, beating Offaly by a point in the last game.
Corrigan never believed they would be relegated and credits the Rebels with winning the games they had to.
"Some of the results were very poor, especially the game in Derry, the performance was just shocking," he said.
"It was just the lack of confidence seeping through the players. OK, people will say they should be beating Offaly but hats off to them for winning when survival was on the line.
"It doesn't take away from the fact that Cork should be doing better.
"It's very unfortunate for Keith Ricken that he has had to step away, I believe he's a very nice man. In the circumstances the players are very fortunate to have John Cleary there, who is a very good coach and a competitor."
Of course there was that 2020 ambush of Kerry in the torrential rain in the Munster semi-final, when Cork went on to lose to Tipperary in the provincial decider.
If that is remembered by either side tomorrow, Corrigan feels it will still reverberate with Kerry, who will look to snuff out any hopes of an upset.
"Jack O'Connor is the type of fella who won't leave anything to chance," he said. "He'll have Kerry up for it.
"They're everyone's favourites to win the All-Ireland. If they're in that zone, they're going to spur themselves on. What happened two years ago doesn't make a bit of difference.
"In fairness to O'Connor, he has identified where Kerry's weaknesses are. He knew he couldn't do it all himself and got Paddy Tally in, and Kerry's tackling has improved 100%.
"The players might be the same but they have improved no end in their defensive work.
"If you had rang me three weeks ago, I'd have said we haven't a chance.
"But a lot of Cork players injured have come back in and, regardless of whether they have little game time under their belt, I'd play them.
"Cork and Kerry games take on a life of their own and with these guys coming back in, you know exactly what you'll get in this one from them.
"You don't need 16 or 18 players who are really match fit. You need players with heart and balls, as we say here. Above everything, we need a strong start."
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