Twelve-game trek to history ends at 12 yards for Crawford's brave U21s

Penalty heartache in Tel Aviv brings quest for first major championships to an end as Wright, Ferguson and Devoy all miss from spot

SPOT OF HEARTACHE: Ireland players dejected after losing on penalties in their UEFA Under 21 European Championship Play-off Second Leg, Bloomfield Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Israel 0 Republic of Ireland 0 (1-1 on aggregate aet, Israel win 3-1 on pens) 

Twelve games that stretched across as many months boiled down to one penalty shootout in Tel Aviv and, in the end, three poor efforts by Jim Crawford’s Republic of Ireland U21s cost them a place at next year’s European Championships.