Today, hundreds of clubs all over New Zealand will take faltering steps towards winning the trophy.
From school teams to the top-rated sides, all have to win to continue.
Since HMS Chatham gave the trophy in 1922, many teams have sweated through 90 minutes, then extra time of 30 minutes, then the nerve-racking penalty shootouts.
The aim is to stay alive and carry on, hopefully to the final, which this year will be on the weekend of August 25-26.
Otago claimed the inaugural trophy in 1923, when the tiny hospital team from Seacliff beat Wellington 4-0 at Athletic Park, after hammering Oamaru Rangers 7-0 in the semifinal.
The most recent Otago win was in 1999, when Dunedin Technical claimed the trophy by beating Waitakere 4-0, with goals by Aaron Burgess, Graham Marshall, Justin Flaws and English import Jason Tee.
Interestingly, Burgess and Flaws, 13 years later, will probably continue to defy time and again play in the competition, while Marshall is still coaching football locally.
In 1981, Dunedin City triumphed over Mt Wellington, winning 3-1, thanks to goals by Mike Glubb (two) and Terry Wilson.
That winning team was goalkeeper Jim Taylor, Paul Hillis, Matt Eggleston (replaced by Michael Reardon), Terry Wilson, John Scholten, Malcolm Ferguson, John Russell, George Caird, Michael Glubb, Pat Berry and Graham Carr.
Further back, a fine Northern team won the Cup in both 1959 and 1961, but the club lost in finals played in 1927, 1928, 1949, 1951, 1953 and 1962.
Mosgiel also reached the finals in 1938 and 1940.
Northern's 1961 line-up was goalkeeper Jim Stephenson, Alex Young, Trevor McFarlane, John Rae, Jim Ferguson, Stan Forbes, Bill Berry, Bruce Campbell, George Little, Duncan, McVey and John Little.
So, there is more than a whiff of Otago history in the cup, and in recent years Technical and Caversham have also reached the latter stages.
There are only two cup games on local fields today, and possibly the hardest to pick will be the University-Mosgiel clash at the Caledonian Ground, which kicks off at 2pm.
Both sides are underperforming in the Footballsouth Premier League. Mosgiel is fourth on the table and University fifth.
Yet both sides play attractive attacking football, with possibly a contrast in style between Varsity coach Luiz Uehara's Brazilian approach and Mosgiel coach Mike McGarry's European style.
Northern plays Northern Hearts (Timaru) at the Gardens, where cultured football is seldom possible, but pace and passion will make for an exciting cup tie.
In away matches, Roslyn-Wakari will need its best form against Queenstown in Central Otago, as will Green Island with Invercargill Old Boys, which is unbeaten and with the dangerous statistic of 14 goals scored and only three conceded.
Grants Braes also travels south to Surrey Park, in Invercargill, against Waihopai. The local side sits in mid-table, and Braes coach Alan Laidler must fancy his side's chances.
