There was a moment in the early stages of last Saturday's game against the Stormers that saw Tiernan O'Halloran - one of Connacht's finest home-grown talents, on his last ever home appearance for the province - split the visitor's defence and race towards the beckoning fans of College Road.
Clifden's fleet-footed centurion did well to put his team on the front foot and created a promising attacking platform. Would this be the moment that Connacht capitalised on the emotional impetus of the day, and take an important step towards victory?
Moments later Pete Wilkin's side had spurned the opportunity, and all remnants of momentum dissipated like Connacht's ill-fated charge for the top eight.
In many ways this game was indicative of the province's efforts since October. Plenty of verve and endeavour, yet ultimately a wholly deflating loss. One too many for a season which has seen so many false dawns, so many failures to ignite.
An inter-provincial derby is now in store against Leinster in two weeks' time. It would take the miracle of all miracles to clinch a top-eight space. Not just a bonus point win against their perennial victors, but a further raft of unlikely results to fall in favour of the Westerners.
Connacht's post-season prospects are all but over - and in truth, they have no one to blame but themselves.
Time after time on Saturday their lack of efficiency was glaringly obvious to home fans. For large parts of this game Connacht played well, and created decent attacking opportunities in the Stormers' 22. However, a lack of accuracy and a litany of knock-ons consistently hampered their efforts.
The game's stats tell a story of their own. Connacht had 63 percent of possession last Saturday, forcing the Stormers into making 206 tackles. This was more than double the amount of tackles Connacht made at 101. However, Connacht missed 21 tackles to the Stormers' 19, while the South African side created six clean breaks to Connacht's measly four - the final try tally reading two to one in favour of the Stormers.
To build such attacking pressure and to only accumulate 12-point haul is something that Pete Wilkins and his coaching staff will have to analyse stringently.
The Stormers did what any Springbok-orientated team are put out to do: lay down a huge physical marker - be rock solid at set-piece, breakdown and defence, and unleash their abundance of riches in the wide channels. Connacht knew what they were up against, yet could find no way to break down the former URC champions, even as the opportunities presented themselves throughout the game.
Whether a problem with personnel or the way in which Connacht have chosen to play this year, too often have the western province underperformed. To miss out on the top-eight in the URC is a huge disappointment which, coupled with a poor European campaign - is sure to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of supporters.
A lack of efficiency in oppositions' 22 is surely their biggest work-on, but a whole host of further improvements must follow.
Perhaps the game against Leinster on Saturday week will provide Connacht with one last chance to finish the season on a high. Pride is maybe the only thing they will be playing for, but the approach should be gung-ho nonetheless.
