The Republic of Ireland Under-21s failed end their dismal European Championship campaign on a high note, despite what was probably their best performance for more than a year.

In the end, the record books will show a ninth straight game without a win, but at least manager Givens can build with optimism after so much bitter disappointment since they began Group Four with an inspiring 3-0 victory over Cyprus.

Since then it has been virtually all downhill, with France and the Swiss qualifying for the play-off stages, the latter clinching their place on the back of this narrow victory at Shelbourne’s Tolka Park.

In light of Ireland’s failure to reach the play-off stages, Givens made several changes to his squad for the final two qualifying games, including the 1-1 draw against Cyprus in Larnaca on Friday.

It meant Givens’ most-experienced player was Sheffield Wednesday’s Glenn Whelan, the midfielder winning his 16th cap, with the bulk of the squad barely touching double figures in appearances.

In stark contrast, the Swiss line-up included what could be described as ‘veterans’ at under-21 level, with captain Alain Rochat picking up his 39th cap.

That underlined the difference between the sides, although sadly for Ireland, one annoying trait that has plagued them throughout this campaign has been their penchant for conceding early goals, and they did so again for the fourth time in eight group matches.

They could have bucked the trend and grabbed the opener themselves inside 85 seconds, only for Bolton’s Joe O’Brien to blaze over from inside the area after Celtic winger Aiden McGeady had opened up the Swiss with a surging run down the left.

But then they were carved open themselves in the 13th minute, with Pirmin Schwegler and Stephan Lichtsteiner initially combining down the right wing.

The latter proceeded to play a ball into the area where David Degen cut across Paul McShane to beat captain and goalkeeper Wayne Henderson with a low shot from eight yards.

At that stage there could have been fears of a repeat of the corresponding fixture in Bern 13 months ago when the Swiss ran out convincing 4-2 winners, handing Ireland what was their worst defeat at the time for two years.

But Ireland countered in the 25th minute with a sweeping move from one end of the field to the other, starting with McShane out of defence to Whelan in midfield and eventually onto O’Brien for a low drive that finished a yard past the left-hand post.

Switzerland’s pace and movement, though, was always a threat, as they displayed to near clinical effect five minutes later when Degen sent Reto Ziegler – on loan to SV Hamburg from Spurs – sprinting clear.

But after powering into the area, leaving the Irish defence in his wake, his angled left-foot shot curled narrowly past Henderson’s left-hand post.

After Rochat then curled a 20-yard free-kick inches over the bar in the 40th minute, and Davide Calla had planted a looping header into the welcoming hands of Henderson, Ireland spurned a glorious equalising chance just before the break.

Brentford’s Jay Tabb played in Bohemians striker Steven Ward, but after an initial feint on Diego Benaglio, his eventual shot was blocked at point-blank range by the goalkeeper.

Ireland’s second-half performance certainly merited a point as they scrapped for every ball and at times played with the kind of quality Givens has long been demanding.

Only a full-stretch save from Benaglio to John Fitzgerald’s looping header denied the Republic a share of the spoils, although Henderson on his last appearance at this level, pulled off the save of the game in 82nd minute, acrobatically turning aside a Ziegler 25-yard left-foot volley.

It was Ireland who finished the stronger and in the dying moments Tabb and Willo Flood came close to giving Ireland what would have been a thoroughly-merited point.