Close but no major championship.
The Republic of Ireland saw the prospect of a first ever appearance at the Under-21 Euros slip through their fingers on Tuesday night, a highly creditable 1-1 draw in Italy not enough as Norway thumped Turkey 5-1 to leapfrog Jim Crawford's side into second place in Group A, on the head-to-head record.
Of course, if Norway had not secured a highly controversial point in Cork last week then Ireland would still have made a play-off, but, after full-time in Trieste, Crawford preferred to focus on his team's display in fighting back from 1-0 down at half-time, having conceded a goal against the run of play.
"The boys were magnificent," he told RTÉ Sport. "To come to Italy, a top team, and put on a performance like that was magnificent.
"We knew coming to Italy was going to be a real a challenge but we said 'You know what, we won't be sitting off them, we’ll get after them’. And that first 25 minutes or so we were excellent.
"They were always going to have a spell. Second half, I thought we were excellent, and you only have to see the way they set up, throwing five at the back and wasting a bit of time.
"I'm gutted for the players and the staff who have worked unbelievably hard since the start of the campaign.
"When the draw was made, you say 'That’s a really tough group’ but we knew we would be good. And one of the positives today is we’ve got six players in the squad that can go again for the next campaign.
"It’s a real learning for them: The [drawn] games against Latvia, holding out against Italy in Turners Cross, Norway in Turners Cross the other day, which was a poor decision by the referee. But it is what it is, we’re out."
It was an agonising way to miss out on what would have been a historic qualification but Crawford believes many of the group have the potential to become senior Irish internationals.
"I love every single one of them," he said of his squad. "They were great. There are other players who weren't here today for one reason or another but they all had a huge part to play and it would have been great to get everybody together again in November to start preparing for the finals but it wasn’t to be.
"It’s a massive step to the senior team. But the potential in there is serious.
"I think there are a lot of really good players that, with a little bit of luck, hard work and getting the right club, could go on and earn a decent number of senior caps."
Defender James Abankwah, whose club Udinese play just 75km away, agreed saying: "It shows the future of Ireland is bright.
"No matter what, we just keep going. Even after going a goal down, to come back... We dug deep, we did well but just couldn't cross the finishing line.
"Those two games [home draws against Latvia and Norway], we should have done a lot better. And today it has cost us."
🇮🇹 1-1 🇮🇪
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 15, 2024
"It's just gutting right now but I think over the next few days and weeks we'll look back and be really proud of ourselves," says Ireland U21 captain and goalscorer Andrew Moran after narrowly missing out on Euro 2025 qualification#U21EURO pic.twitter.com/Mkp87nIEbB
Captain Andrew Moran scored the goal that drew Ireland level after fine work from substitute Aidomo Emakhu, but they were unable to find the winner that would have secured automatic qualification.
"It's a tough one to take. We put it right up to them," Moran, on loan from Brighton to Stoke, told RTÉ Sport.
"We started the game unreal. They couldn’t get out. We had a few cleared off the line. We knew were still in the game [at half-time]. To be fair, we got away with one with the penalty miss.
"They had a spell at the end of the first half and then second half, we came out firing.
"I think you can see the quality that we’ve got, playing against a team like Italy, with a few senior internationals.
"It's just gutting right now but I think over the next few days and weeks we'll look back and be really proud of ourselves.
"To captain these boys is such a proud honour for me. The quality we’ve got in this group is just so good, so hopefully we can all bring that into our club games and into the senior team in the future."
