The Republic of Ireland today kissed goodbye to their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Under-21 Championship finals.
Givens had warned his side before the game they could not afford to lose another match if they were to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for their first finals from Group Four and a 3-1 defeat to Israel all but ended their qualifying dream.
Defeats to Switzerland and France, after starting the campaign so brightly with a convincing win over Cyprus, had proved damaging. Givens insisted his players needed to take 13 points from the remaining five matches, but he could not have envisaged a more disastrous start.
Less than two minutes after Sheffield Wednesday's Glenn Whelan had been booked for a third-minute foul on Shai Abutbul, Israel took the lead. From Moshe Ohayon's corner, Yaniv Azrane rose unopposed to flick a header from eight yards beyond Notts County goalkeeper Saul Deeney.
Within a minute Ireland suffered another bitter blow, with Leeds centre-back Henry McStay stooping to clear a long-range shot from Ohayon, only to inadvertently head past the wrong-footed and unfortunate Deeney.
After that early shock Ireland finally settled to control the remainder of a first half in which McStay eventually went on to atone for his earlier indiscretion. Manchester City winger Willo Flood delivered the perfect inswinging free-kick from the right for McStay to plant a firm header beyond Israel goalkeeper Tom Almadon
At that stage Ireland looked good value to go on and salvage something from the match, but their goal came under siege at the start of the second period and seven minutes after the restart they were again cast two goals adrift.
McShane had already blocked one effort on the line from Shlomi Arbeitman and McStay had thrown himself in front of a drive from Ohayon, who also saw an acutely-angled shot saved by Deeney, before he was eventually beaten again.
Ireland pushed forward in the closing stages, desperate to salvage something from the match, but the Israeli defence stood firm and refused to give the visitors a sniff of goal in the last half hour.
