Former Clare hurler Niall Gilligan says Clare must match Cork's confidence on Sunday in the Munster hurling final if they want to claim the title.
The Sixmilebridge man scored three points against Cork in the 1999 Munster decider, on a day when Cork were crowned champions.
"With five minutes to go we had their lead down to one and then we had a chance to level it with a free," Gilligan told RTÉ Sport.
"David Forde took it, the game was nearly over. It’s awful to mention it. It was just to the left of the post on the 21-yard line. I turned to go back up the field to my position, I heard the groan.
"I didn’t even look. I had to turn to Brian Corcoran and ask him did it go wide. From the puck-out the ball went down the field, Ben O’Connor gathered it and scored an unreal score to put them two up, they got a couple more and then it was game over."
The rivalry between the two counties has been strong since Clare rose to prominence in the 1990s.
This will be the 13th Munster final they have contested with Cork winning nine, Clare claiming two and one game finishing in a draw. Sunday’s encounter will see the sides meet for the first time in a Munster final since 1999.
"We've always had a good rivalry with Cork. I played against them in a Munster under 21 final in 1996 and they beat us well.
"I knew they had a great team coming. Sure Cork are Cork and it is a bit like this year it doesn’t take much to get their tails up and I feel the exact same about their team now.
"They are confident people in Cork, it’s important that the Clare hurlers match that on Sunday and have belief in themselves. They all have the All-Ireland medals."
Clare haven’t won a Munster hurling title since 1998 but did beat Cork in 2013 in a replay to claim the Liam McCarthy Cup with Davy Fitzgerald as manager.
The personnel on the field haven’t changed much since that famous win but off the field there is a new management team in place with Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor at the helm.
Cork on the other hand claimed the Munster title three seasons ago under Jimmy Barry Murphy. Kieran Kingston has since taken over and already this season they have disposed of Waterford and Tipperary while Clare defeated Limerick. Although Cork are the form team, Gilligan feels that it will be Clare's day in Thurles on Sunday.
"Rumour has it that Tony Kelly is going back midfield, I think that is going to be a huge area. He hurled brilliantly well last year, this year so far he hasn’t been his usual self but you don’t become a bad hurler over night.
"There are a lot of question marks over the Clare half-back line. We know what the Cork half-forward line can do, it’s important that they are curtailed.
"I hope that the Clare full forward line play in close to goals, Conor McGrath, Shane O’Donnell and John Conlan, I think they can get the scores and win the game."
