Ireland's dream of a first ever appearance at the Under-21 European Championships ended in the cruellest possible way on Tuesday night, as they lost on penalties to Israel.
The Boys in Green weathered a first-half storm and grew into the game, creating some of the better opportunities as extra-time loomed.
But all their efforts were for nothing in the end as substitute Osher Davida slotted home the decisive spot-kick.
READ MORE: Israel vs Ireland U21s result and recap as Ireland suffer penalty shootout heartbreak in playoff
Israel’s first-half dominance had alarm bells ringing for an Irish side that looked to be struggling in the intense late-evening Tel Aviv heat.
The inclusion of four senior internationals in their starting-11, including Celtic’s in-form striker Liel Abada, also put the visitors on the front-foot.
Abada has opened the Scottish Premiership season in scintillating form, scoring six goals in seven appearances for the Hoops.
But having featured for the senior international side in last Saturday’s win over Albania, he was slow to get to the high tempo set early on by the hosts.
Israel still packed a real punch going forward, however, with Ido Shaher and last Friday’s goalscorer Idan Gorno going close.
Gorno’s 32nd minute effort produced a wonderful save by Ireland goalkeeper Brian Maher, who went full-stretch low to his right to turn the ball away.
Shaher, who teed up Gorno’s chance, was a real thorn in the Irish side and he tested Maher from the edge of the area moments later.
Israel continued to turn up the heat as the half went on and Oscar Gloukh raced onto Doron Leidner’s through ball, cut inside Joe Redmond but drilled his shot past the near post.
A Joe Hodge effort from 20 yards that flashed over the bar aside, Ireland were shot-shy in the opening period.
But while there were fears that another 45 minutes of exposure to temperatures in their late 20s might prove too much for the Boys in Green, they actually grew into the game after half-time.
Aaron Connolly spent most of the opening period isolated and frustrated, but within two minutes of the restart he came within inches of opening the scoring.
The on-loan Venezia striker produced a trademark drive in off the left flank and curled the ball just wide of the far post.
This was the beginning of a sensational ding-dong battle, which saw the play switch from end-to-end throughout.
Gloukh sent Maher diving to his left to save on 49 minutes, while Conor Coventry saw his shot blocked on 55.
The chance of the match then fell to Gorno in the 57th minute, when Eiran Cashin’s effort to clear with his chest fell to Abada on the edge of the area.
His shot was parried by Maher back into the centre of the area and Gorno had the goal at his mercy, but somehow shot wide from six yards.
That let-off spurred the Irish into action and Connolly headed wide from a Dawson Devoy chip into the area on 75 minutes.
Moments later Abada turned on the edge of the area and fired high and wide, while a combination of Cashin and Andy Lyons denied Davida with 10 minutes of the 90 to play.
Finn Azaz was sprung from the bench midway through the second-half and the English-born attacking midfielder of both Irish and Israeli descent was quick to make an impact.
He linked up well with Connolly on a handful of occasions and was involved in an 83rd minute move that saw Andy Lyons drill the ball over from 16 yards.
Three minutes later he was denied by an outstanding Peretz save when he received the ball off Connolly, played a one-two with Will Smallbone, took a touch and fired towards the bottom left-hand corner.
The match went into extra-time and while Israel looked to have stronger energy reserves, both sides seemed content with the game going to penalties.
Ireland were first to shoot from the spot and they almost got off to a perfect start when Conor Coventry sent goalkeeper Peretz the wrong way, before Maher almost kept out Eden Karzev’s effort.
The Derry City netminder guessed correctly and made contact with the effort, but it squeezed under his body and over the line.
Peretz referred to his notes before each Irish spot-kick and clearly had good info on Tyreik Wright, as he dived to his left to make the save.
The Israeli goalkeeper then stepped up to score his side’s second, before stopping Evan Ferguson’s drive down the middle with his legs.
There was a chink of light for Ireland when home captain Gil Cohen smashed his penalty off the right-hand post, but Peretz made it a hat-trick of saves when he denied Dawson Devoy.
And then up stepped Davida to secure Israel’s place in next summer’s finals with a penalty to spare.
ISRAEL
Daniel Peretz 9
Noam Gil Melemud 7
Ziv Morgan 8
Gil Cohen 7
Roy Herman 7
Eden Karzev 7
Ido Shahar 8
Doron Leidner 7
Oscar Gloukh 7
Idan Gorno 6
Liel Abada 7
SUBS: Hisham Layous (for Leidner 62), Mohammed Kanaan (for Shahar 62), Osher Davida (for Gorno 70), Zohar Zasno (for Herman 74), Yoav Hofmeister (for Gloukh 97), Adir Levi (for Abada 97)
SUBS NOT USED: Omer Nir On, Karem Jaber, Itay Ben Shabat.
IRELAND
Brian Maher 8
Jake O’Brien 7
Joe Redmond 7
Eiran Cashin 7
Lee O’Connor 7
Conor Coventry 8
Joe Hodge 7
Will Smallbone 7
Andy Lyons 7
Ross Tierney 7
Aaron Connolly 7
SUBS: Dawson Devoy (for Hodge 59), Finn Azaz (for Tierney 59), Tyreik Wright (for Lyons 84), Sean Roughan (for Cashin 91), Ollie O’Neill (for Smallbone 106), Evan Ferguson (for Connolly 106).
SUBS NOT USED: David Odumosu, Mipo Odubeko, Festy Ebosele.
REFEREE: Nathan Verboomen (Belgium)
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