Lady luck was not smiling over Dundalk on Thursday night.
Stephen Kenny knew that a victory for his side in Israel was not enough to guarantee them qualification to the knockout stages of the Europa League but, unfortunately for them, they couldn't even manage that as it appeared that the Lilywhites' long season finally caught up with them.
The writing was on the wall from the first halves in Group D as leaders Zenit St. Petersburg, from whom Dundalk needed a favour, fell 2-0 down before the break, while the League of Ireland champions were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline in Israel as they entered the dressing rooms.
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Zenit, playing for nothing, pulled one back in the second half and provided some hope for Dundalk but that was short-lived as Alkmaar again put space between the sides as they looked to secure the second qualifying spot as their own.
The only remaining goal of the group came via Zenit, whose 3-2 defeat was the final blow on a night on which nothing went right for Dundalk.
But, to be fair to the Irish side, they pushed to the very end for an equaliser in a bid to give their travelling support something to cheer for.
It wasn't to be.
But there was nothing but pride from the side's supporters.
And rightly so.
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Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.
