If you're from Killinkere in Co Cavan and were born between the years 1986 - 1990, then (last year's Breffni League aside) there's a good chance you'll have been involved in 13 Gaelic football finals and lost every one of them.
Indeed I remember the last one I played in like it was yesterday. I was 18 years-old playing in a Junior final. With ten minutes to go we were down by seven. With a minute to go we had pulled it back to a one point deficit.
The ball broke to me about 14 metres from goal and as I bent down to collect it, this feeling of utter euphoria came over me. This was it. I was about to end the streak. I could see the whites of the goalkeeper's eyes and I had no doubt that I was about to score a goal to win it. Finally, all those disappointments would be put to bed. This was my moment ... Then the referee blew me up for picking it off the ground and gave a free out.
It's the hope that kills you.
For what it's worth, the ball was a good half a yard off the ground when I gathered it but that's an arguement for another day. This anecdote is a perfect example of why I need Ireland to a least get to a World Cup final. I'm so bloody fed up of being disappointed.
Indeed if it weren't for this rugby team and their Six Nations titles then my list of great sporting moments would amount to a couple of Cavan u21 Ulster titles, Robbie Keane's Germany goal and the odd Mirco Antenucci late equaliser for Leeds United.
Even when we tried to win the FIFA World Cup with Ireland on the video game last year we got knocked out in the quarter-final.
Is anyone else - I'm looking at you, Mayo fans - desperately wanting, no, needing something to properly lose our mind over? An All-Ireland, another Italia 90 ... something big.
Looking at this rugby team I think they might be able to provide it. They've got the best coach in the world, they got the track record, no major injury problems. Dare we hope?
The hope may kill you but it's also what makes life worth living. We lose, we get up, we go again but please lads, this time, let's finish the job.
