Republic of Ireland Under 21s ended their qualifying campaign bottom of their group after losing to Turkey.
Irish win just one of 10 qualifying outings
Republic of Ireland Under 21s ended their European Championship qualifying campaign bottom of their group after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Turkey.
Wim Koevermans - standing in for Noel King in charge - saw his side create plenty of chances but were unable to capitalise on their good work.
Conor Hourihane struck the post in his side's best opening, meanwhile Graham Carey and Adam Rooney were both guilty of spurning chances.
And the hosts punished the Irish nine minutes from time when Tevfik Kose finished past Stephen Henderson from 12 yards.
Bottom of the heap
Defeat in Turkey saw the Republic end their Group Two fixtures at the bottom of the heap and with just one victory to their name in 10 attempts.
As so often during the campaign, they might have emerged with much more to show for their efforts, but were ultimately made to pay for not taking their chances.
Koevermans went into the game having lost an entire team to injury and suspension, and his side reflected those difficulties with five of the starters and six of the substitutes still eligible to turn out for the under-19s.
Brendan Moloney, Seamus Conneely, Carey and Rooney were all drafted into the team, but Ireland were forced into further changes with less than an hour played as Robbie Brady and Rob Kiernan succumbed to injury.
The visitors started on the front foot, but without ever troubling Turkish keeper Ozkan Karabulut, and opposite number Stephen Henderson had to make the game's first real save when he raced from his line to block Kose's shot after he had exchanged passes with full-back Ozgur Cek.
Piling on the pressure
Ireland created several openings of their own before the break, but once again were unable to convert them with Rooney and Carey missing the target.
But Conor Hourihane went within inches of breaking the deadlock just after the hour mark when his shot came back off the post and dropped wide.
The Republic were piling on the pressure and Rooney and Hourihane both went close as the game approached its closing stages.
However, it was Turkey who took the lead nine minutes from time when Kose was picked out 12 yards from goal, and he shot past the despairing Henderson to claim victory.
Ireland captain Seamus Coleman might have snatched a draw at the death, but his header from a corner was scrambled away.
The win saw the Turks claim second place in the group behind winners Switzerland, while the Irish finished five points adrift of fifth-placed Estonia, the only side they beat.
