Preview: Shelbourne vs Crystal Palace - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking to boost their last-16 qualification hopes in the Conference League, Crystal Palace travel to Dublin to face Shelbourne at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night.

Both the Eagles and the Reds are looking to return to winning ways in their penultimate League Phase fixture, after suffering defeat to Strasbourg and AZ Alkmaar respectively on matchday four.

Match preview

Crystal Palace have kick-started a hectic December schedule in positive fashion as they celebrated back-to-back Premier League away win over Burnley and Fulham in the space of just four days, beating the latter 2-1 at Craven Cottage last Sunday.

Captain Marc Guehi headed home an 87th-minute winner to help the Eagles claim three valuable points and climb up to fourth in the Premier League table. Their 26-point haul from the first 15 games is their best-ever return at this stage of a top-flight season and makes them strong contenders for Champions League qualification.

Last season’s FA Cup winners have blown hot and cold in the Conference League so far, though, alternating between victory and defeat in their opening four matches of their debut campaign in Europe. Palace subsequently sit 18th in the 36-team table, but only two points behind the top eight with games against Shelbourne and KuPS remaining.

The Eagles suffered defeat in their last European away match a fortnight ago, as they let a one-goal half-time lead slip to lose 2-1 against Strasbourg, with head coach Oliver Glasner left to rue his team’s missed opportunities - most notably hitting the post twice - in the final third.

Palace are currently the bookmakers’ favourites to win the Conference League this term and become the third English club to win the competition after fellow London sides West Ham United (2023) and Chelsea (2025), but Glasner will feel that his team can ill-afford to drop points against Shelbourne if they wish to edge closer to last-16 qualification.

Since becoming just the second Irish club to reach a UEFA group stage, Shelbourne have endured a winless start to their debut appearance in the Conference League (D1 L3) and they are the only team in this season’s competition who are yet to score a single goal across the first four games.

A goalless stalemate with BK Hacken on matchday one was followed by three successive defeats to Shkendija (1-0), Drita (1-0) and AZ Alkmaar (2-0), with defeat to the latter a fortnight ago leaving them in 34th place in the 36-team table and four points behind the playoff spots with only two games left to play.

Shelbourne have not been in competitive action since that loss to AZ, as their domestic campaign concluded in early November, with Joey O'Brien’s side finishing third and seven points behind League of Ireland Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers, a year on from winning their seventh title.

With the 2026 season beginning next February, the Reds are now focused fully on salvaging something positive from their Conference League campaign, starting with Thursday’s audacious attempt to beat Crystal Palace on home soil and become the first League of Ireland club to win against English opposition at the 28th time of asking.

Shelbourne Conference League form:

D L L L

Shelbourne form (all competitions):

W L W D L L

Crystal Palace Conference League form:

W L W L

Crystal Palace form (all competitions):

D W L L W W

Team News

Shelbourne will have Liverpool loanee James Norris available for selection after he served a one-match ban against AZ Alkmaar, with the 22-year-old in contention to earn a recall to a five-man defence.

Jack Henry-Francis, a summer signing from Arsenal, will hope to retain his spot in midfield alongside JJ Lunney and Kerr McInroy, while O'Brien will weigh up whether to start Mipo Odubeko or John Martin alongside Harry Wood in attack.

As for Crystal Palace, Daniel Munoz missed the win at Fulham last weekend due to a knee injury and Glasner is hopeful that the right wing-back can return against Man City this weekend, suggesting that an appearance against Shelbourne is not on the cards.

Ismaila Sarr is sidelined as he continues to recover from an ankle injury before leaving for Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal, while Cheick Doucoure (knee), Caleb Kporha (back), Rio Cardines (groin) and Chadi Riad (knee/fitness) are also unavailable.

Glasner is expected to freshen up his team in at least a couple of positions, with Jaydee Canvot, Borna Sosa, Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma and Justin Devenny all in contention to return to the starting lineup.

Shelbourne possible starting lineup:

Speel; Mbeng, Barrett, Ledwidge, Norris, Kelly; Henry-Francis, Lunney, McInroy; Wood, Odubeko

Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:

Henderson; Canvot, Lacroix, Guehi; Clyne, Lerma, Hughes, Sosa; Devenny, Pino; Nketiah

We say: Shelbourne 0-3 Crystal Palace

Both teams will be fired up for Thursday’s contest, which is important for both sides in their quest to secure last-16 qualification, but it is difficult to look beyond an away win on this occasion, with Crystal Palace boasting enough quality to get the better of a goal-shy Shelbourne outfit.

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