It was the first game in charge for new Under-18s Head Coach Andy Reid, as the team prepare for back-to-back games in the Turkish capital.
The home side scored three goals in the space of 15 first-half minutes, including an Irish own goal to take a 3-0 lead into the break.
Andy Reid’s side showed resilience in the second half, and were unlucky not to score, but Turkey scored their fourth, to win 4-0.
Speaking after the match, Head Coach Andy Reid said there is space to improve ahead of Saturday’s second game.
“Any Ireland team I played for at any level have never given up. No team that I’m in charge of ever will either. It was important we went out in the second half, and showed some of the steel we got”, Reid revealed.
“It gives us a lot of hope for Saturday. The lads know they can compete at this level.”
The team play Turkey in the second game on Saturday morning in Istanbul.
Turkey: Arda Akbulut; Kerem Kalafat, Atakan Gunduz (capt), Fatih Tultak, Ridvan Yilmaz; Guney Gencel, Taha Tunc, Oguzhan Akgun, Muhammed Gumuskaya, Burak Yasin Yesilay; Muhammet Arslantas
Republic of Ireland: Brian Maher; Max Murphy, Eiran Cashin (Andrew Spain 63), Shadrach Ogie (Ray O’Sullivan 46), Reece Staunton (Ross Tierney 81); Barry Coffey (capt), Adam O’Reilly (Sean Brennan 46), Louie Watson (Jaden Charles 75); George Nunn (Donal Higgins 46), Ryan Cassidy, Callum Thompson