N IRELAND U21 2 FINLAND U21 3
Northern Ireland boss Andy Crosby was left cursing lapses in concentration as his Under 21 side went down 3-2 to Finland in their EURO 2021 qualifier at the Ballymena Showgrounds.
Glentoran's Paul O'Neill twice put the home side ahead but strikes from Timo Stavitski, Mikael Soisalo, Naatan Skyttä gave Finland the three points.
The result means Northern Ireland remain in fifth place in Group 8 after eight matches with no chance of qualification.
Debutant John Joshua McKiernan was booked for a rash challenge in the 21st minute but it wasn't long before Northern Ireland took the lead.
Jake Dunwoody's excellent through ball was drilled across the box by Nathan Kerr where O'Neill - making his first U21 start - was on hand to convert.
Finland levelled just before half-time when Eoin Toal hesitated with a long ball and Stavitski nipped in to curl past Conor Hazard.
Lee Bonis came on for his debut at half-time, replacing McKiernan, but it was his strike partner O'Neill who put Northern Ireland ahead for a second time on 59 minutes.
Daniel Amos fizzed a shot towards goal and O'Neill's outstretched leg deflected the ball away from the keeper and into the net.
The lead was short-lived as Finland hit back on 63 minutes through their captain Soisalo, who cut in from the right drilled low to Hazard's left.
Alfie McCalmont picked up Northern Ireland's second booking as the Finns stepped up a gear in the second half and they took the lead on 68 minutes through Skyttä.
Northern Ireland toiled for the remainder.
Caolan Boyd-Munce had a shot saved by Keto but the Finns saw the game out.
Crosby said: "I'm disappointed with certain aspects of the game, certainly losing the lead just before half-time and for the second time after we'd just scored - key moments really."
NORTHERN IRELAND: Hazard (C); Marron, Toal, Brown, Amos (Burns 61'); Kerr, McKiernan (Bonis 46'), McCalmont (A Scott 79'), Boyd-Munce, Dunwoody; O'Neill. Subs not used: Gartside, Larkin, Donnelly, J Scott, Balmer, Bansal-McNulty.
