Losing Champions Cup finals doesn't get any easier, even if Leinster's latest heartbreak didn't have any of the late drama of their previous defeats.
Bordeaux-Begles' 41-19 victory was bereft of the twists and turns that accompanied the one-score losses to La Rochelle in 2022 and 2023, and the 2024 extra-time reverse to Toulouse.
Instead, this time around, Leo Cullen's men were a beaten docket by the time the referee blew up for half-time, trailing 35-7 at that point.
"Yeah, it does [hurt just as much]," said full-back Hugo Keenan, a veteran of all those defeats and last season's narrow semi-final loss to Northampton.
"We were gutted, I was gutted. It means a lot to us, to the group.
"We've got lads leaving at the end of the year. The likes of Luke McGrath, who's been such an unbelievable servant, Will Connors, [Ciarán] Frawley, these lads who we wanted to do it for.
"We wanted to do it for the fans who travel over in such good numbers, who were even louder on the weekend in the Lions game.
"And then obviously, individually, as a goal of mine, it's always been something I've openly spoken to you guys about so yeah, it's just a tough one."
Leinster were able to claim the consolation prize of the BKT URC title last season but Keenan, who went on to star for the British and Irish Lions in their series win in Australia last summer, missed that run through injury.
They find themselves in the same boat now, their facile win over Lions setting up a semi-final meeting with the Stormers on Saturday at Aviva Stadium (5.30pm).
Even retaining their title won't make up for the Bilbao battering but it is the only acceptable outcome for the squad.
The 29-year-old added: "I missed out on the semi and the final through injury so I suppose I'm glad I'm fit now, I've come off the back of an injury and I'm just relieved and glad there's some more rugby to be played.
"The worst thing that could have happened is that that was the season over and done with, at least we've got the chance to... yeah, it's not Europe, but it's still a brilliant tournament. It's still a big competition.
"It's still something we're hugely motivated to get our hands on, that URC trophy, and for all those reasons, the people, the fans, individually, everything, we're all motivated as a group.
"We're not getting desperate and trying to overwhelm ourselves.
"Because that will just put, I suppose, not too much pressure on ourselves, but it's not the way you go about winning a trophy.
"Yeah, that's probably what we're thinking deep down but it's cliché, but you just have to take it week by week.
"You can't get ahead of the Lions, just as we can't get ahead of the Stormers this week. We know the quality side that they have, the individuals, how they led the league for basically the whole season, really.
"They've got the second best defence in the league and we know if we're not right, if we put in a performance like we did against Bordeaux, that it won't be good enough and we're still going to use that as our motivation."
Keenan (below) scored Leinster's second try in the 59-10 win over Lions. The Ireland back was pleased with how the squad got on with business just a week after the disappointment of the previous week.
"There's definitely still hurt there," said the Dubliner.
"We wanted to show a reaction, we wanted to show a performance that we know we had in us and that we know we didn't deliver on over in Bilbao, and I suppose that was the only thing we could worry about last week.
"It was about building back up an energy because it's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, picking yourself off the ground after such a heartbreaking loss and the disappointment of it.
"It felt like it was a shorter week, but we managed that well and I always find it helps somewhat getting out there.
"I was mad keen to play, mad keen to be selected again to not move on somewhat, but on to the next task at hand because we won't forget about Bilbao, we'll use that hurt and disappointment to drive us on."
