The big stage was set - again - and Boro were primed to tear up the script and march into the last eight leaving another of the Premier League 'giants' trailing in their wake.
It didn't quite work out like that. The sheer brilliance of Arsenal ensured there was to be no repeat of Boro's heroics at the Etihad in the last round.
The reaction of both Aitor Karanka and Patrick Bamford after the game is an indication of the high standards Boro have set themselves.
Perfectionist Karanka slammed Boro's first half display while Bamford felt the side let the terrific travelling Teessiders down.
They didn't. True, Boro weren't at their best in the first half. They looked sluggish in places, misplaced passes and conceded two soft goals.
That's what will have riled the boss. Both goals could have been prevented. But Boro were up against an Arsenal side at their free-flowing easy on the eye best. They were up against a Gunners side who can beat on team on the planet on this form.
Boro were defeated but not disgraced and when the dust settles they can take heart from a battling display against a top-class outfit.
Here's what we learnt from the defeat at Arsenal:
Boro were tasked with shackling world class players at the top of their game
Keep Cazorla quiet and Ozil will strike. Keep the German World Cup winner quiet and Sanchez will cause the problems.You get the message.
It would have been difficult enough for Boro if one of those players was in the mood. They all were.
The magnificent trio in this sort of form were a pleasure to watch.
Adam Clayton and Grant Leadbitter have been the leading duo in the middle of the park in the Championship but there are leagues upon leagues. The perfectly weighted through balls were cutting through Boro like a knife through butter.
The fact Cazorla sat a little deeper - he appeared to have been tasked with keeping an eye on Tomlin - didn't prevent him from causing problems in the final third.
Both the Spaniard and Ozil have a wonderful knack of finding a yard regardless of how many players are attempting to steal the ball from their magical feet.
The fact it was another attacking threat - Giroud - who got the goals shows the sheer quality of the team Boro were up against.
At least George Friend was spared late in the second half was Sanchez was replaced.
Then it was just a matter of keeping Theo Walcott quiet...
Another taste of life at the top level
An FA Cup run to the fifth round went hand-in-hand with Boro's superb league form.
And the trips to the Etihad and then the Emirates were refreshing for both the fans and the players in the middle of the Championship grind.
An added bonus - Boro and their players have proved they're not out of place at the top level.
The two quick-fire goals yesterday essentially finished the match before the break.
A team at its most dangerous on the break suddenly had to commit bodies if they were going to launch an improbable comeback. That comeback never looked likely. In truth, Arsenal plodded along in a low gear throughout.
Boro's hopes always rested on frustrating the Gunners and hitting them on the break, the system that worked in such devastating fashion against City.
That went out of the window when Giroud struck twice in a matter of minutes.
But rather than dwell on it, Boro need to take heart and get back to the bread and butter of the Championship.
Aitor Karanka said the players will benefit from the experience. Here's hoping it inspires them to ensuring such trips aren't limited to the cup competitions.
Tomas Mejias showed his City display was no fluke
Magic of the FA Cup? It's certainly worked some magic on Tomas Mejias.
Boro's Spanish stopper looks transformed from the nervous, weak keeper that started the campaign between the sticks.
His display against City was extremely impressive but what Mejias showed at the Emirates yesterday was that the performance in the fourth round was no fluke.
His save to deny Alexis Sanchez was world-class and he followed that with an impressive stop to keep out Theo Walcott.
But this wasn't a performance limited to eye-catching saves. Mejias was commanding in the box, rising high to gather crosses with relative ease.
That was the element of his game that was most concerning at the start of the season.
What Mejias has proved in the FA Cup this year is that he's no lost cause. Project Mejias is alive and well.
Whether he gets another chance before the end of the season remains to be seen but he's done more than enough to give Karanka food for thought.
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