Duff: Rebels must not show fear

CORK and Dublin don’t share much in the way of recent championship history but John O’Leary is more qualified than most when it comes to untangling the few strands that drew the counties together twice in 1983 and once again 12 years later.

All three games have been exhumed for close inspection in recent days and any number of the participants have already regaled us with engaging tales, most notably about the second game down by the Lee 27 years ago.

O’Leary and Ciarán Duff added liberally to that treasure trove at a function specially arranged by Dublin’s chief sponsors yesterday but, as with all events from the dim and not-so-distant past, there were lessons and parallels to be drawn for the latest battles to come.