The same old World Cup story reads even worse this time.
This was supposed to be when Ireland finally cracked the World Cup. This was going to be the team that made it to the last four.
With the best ever coach, the strongest ever squad and the best preparation of any Ireland set-up, this was Ireland's time.
Afraid not. Joe Schmidt's charges saved arguably their worst performance of his six and a half year reign for his last game in charge.
They leave Japan having conceded more points than they did against Argentina in the 2015 quarter-final.
The worst thing about this major malfunction against the world's best team is that Ireland never fired a shot.
They started badly and never recovered - never coming near justifying the reputation that they had gradually and deservedly earned.
They handed the initiative to the All Blacks, who didn't need a second invitation to bury opponents that had become rivals, given that the world champions had lost twice to Ireland over the past four years.
Ireland made a succession of handling errors and turned over possession on 17 occasions. They were lambs to the slaughter.
New Zealand romped home, scoring seven tries to put them in confident mood taking on England.
Schmidt's departure leaves Andy Farrell, his assistant and now successor, with some job on his hands to repair hearts and minds for the Six Nations - it's only three and a half months away.
Before that, the players will have to pick themselves up for Champions Cup assignments with their provinces in just a few weeks time.
But it will be difficult to wipe away the disappointment of this World Cup, which also included a defeat to the hosts.
Farrell will have to find a new way with new blood. The Schmidt method, as successful as it was, has been worked out by Ireland's rivals.
All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen afterwards pointed out that while Ireland's stalwarts had experience, none had ever won a knock-out game at a World Cup - 11 of his own team already had.
There was no chance that the Kiwis would experience the sort of mental frailty that gripped Ireland.
The malady even took hold of Johnny Sexton, who crucially failed to find touch with three penalties.
A spine-tingling pre-match build-up included the Haka being drowned out by the big Ireland support singing the Fields of Athenry and the men in green taking a collective step forward to meet the challenge.
That was as good as it got. Ireland found themselves 22-0 down at half-time. Aaron Smith sniped in for a brace of tries by the 20th minute - the second was pure All Blacks backline sorcery.
Sexton was robbed of possession by a borderline Sevu Reece tackle, the superb Richie Mo'unga hacked downfield and man of the match Beauden Barrett kicked ahead to score.
Ireland had a chance to reply just before half-time but ref Nigel Owens pinged Peter O'Mahony in a ruck, reversing a penalty near the All Blacks line.
Skipper Kieran Read's off-load off the floor put Codie Taylor under the posts in the 48th minute and a fifth try followed great work by the forwards before Mo'unga's cross-kick found Reece and Matt Todd barrelled over.
Summing up Ireland's miserable night, Robbie Henshaw somehow failed to score when he raced onto Joey Carbery's grubber, the Leinster man diving and knocking on rather than touching down.
But Ireland got on the scoreboard 11 minutes from time when Henshaw made amends.
That only made the All Blacks hungry for more and Dan Coles fed George Bridge for another converted try four minutes later.
There was still time for Ireland to score again, with Owens awarding a penalty try.
But the champs wanted the final say and Jordie Barrett delivered their seventh try. The All Blacks march on, to Yokohama, and Ireland go home.
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