Tadhg Coakley: Loss, forgetting and hope are all part of the cycle of sport

I’ve always thought that sport was actually all about the losing. But I’ve always been okay with that, too

AGONY OF DEFEAT: Mayo supporters have suffered considerable heartache over the years but they continue to keep the faith, believing that, one day, their time will come. ‘The thing about losing is it literally hurts, but as long as you get to go again, the hope outweighs the memory of the pain,’ argues Tadhg Coakley. Picture: Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

It was a week when losing was to the forefront in sport. Liverpool lost any hope of retaining their beloved perch as Premier League champions and Ireland’s rugby team lost a second consecutive opening Six Nations Championship fixture for the first time ever. Serena sadly lost in another Grand Slam.

Another type of sporting loss happened to John Egan with his injury against West Ham and the prospect of not being available for some time for his club and country, as Ireland face into a crucial game against Serbia next month.