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Shelbourne started out with a credible draw against Swedish outfit Hacken, but have failed to register any further points since that 0-0 stalemate at the Tallaght Stadium. The Reds were then narrowly beaten by North Macedonian champions Shkëndija and Kosovan minnows FC Drita, before losing 2-0 to AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands. Those results have left them occupying 34th place in the 36-strong Conference League table, one position above fellow Dubliners Shamrock Rovers, who were crowned Irish Premier Division champions in early November.
With their domestic campaign already over, Shelbourne are effectively in pre-season and have therefore played no further fixtures since the Conference League’s third matchweek. As a result, the hosts go into Thursday’s tie as clear underdogs.
However, Crystal Palace have hardly been firing on all cylinders as of late. After a lengthy unbeaten start to the season which incorporated a maiden victory in European competition, the Eagles have been unable to soar to their previous heights.
A sobering defeat to AEK Larnaca followed that landmark triumph over Dynamo Kyiv, as Oliver Glasner’s men came crashing back down to earth in a meeting between last term’s Cypriot Cup winners and the current FA Cup holders. Palace then beat Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar despite the in-form Jean-Philippe Mateta missing from the spot early on, before losing to high-flying Strasbourg at the Stade de la Meinau.
As a consequence of the rollercoaster nature of their first-ever official continental campaign, the South Londoners will be desperate to secure maximum points on Thursday to keep hopes of automatic qualification alive.
The match will be televised live on TNT Sports 2, while discovery+ subscribers can watch events at the Tallaght Stadium unfold via the streaming network’s in-house app. Coverage commences 30 minutes before kick-off at 19:30 (BST), with a full match replay available on the discovery+ app following the final whistle.
Shelbourne v Crystal Palace – Key information
Date: Thursday, 11th December
Kick-off time: 20:00 (BST)
Venue: Tallaght Stadium
Referee: Martin Matoša (Assistant Referees: Aleksandar Kasapovič and Matic Mežnar)
VAR: Asmir Sagrković (Assistant VAR: Aleksandar Matković)
TV Channels/Live stream: TNT Sports 2
Odds: Shelbourne – 14/1, Draw – 6/1, Crystal Palace – 1/6
Odds provided by bet365
Shelbourne v Crystal Palace team news
Neither manager is burdened by any fresh injury headaches, although both Joey O’Brien and Oliver Glasner are without a handful of first-team stars. While that may impact Shelbourne’s shape on Thursday evening, expect Palace to set up in their familiar 3-4-2-1 formation.
Shelbourne team news
Shelbourne remain the only team yet to score in this season’s Conference League, but the absence of several key defensive personnel will currently be the more pressing concern for 39-year-old boss Joey O’Brien. Sam Bone hasn’t featured since late September’s 2-1 triumph over Waterford due to the Malaysian-born centre-back being ruled out with a calf issue, while Irish full-back Sean Moore is still nursing a groin strain.
James Norris’s temporary spell at the club has now effectively ended following his straight red card against FC Drita, as the length of his suspension exceeds the time remaining on his loan deal.
Having been forced off with a hamstring strain during the first half of the Reds’ Champions League qualifying clash with Linfield at Windsor Park, former Irish Under-21 international goalkeeper Conor Kearns further aggravated this issue in the third round of the Irish Cup. Kearns’ injury catalysed the arrival of Dutch stopper Wessel Speel, who is poised to provide cover between the sticks until the end of the calendar year.
Shelbourne predicted line-up v Crystal Palace (4-3-3)
Coach: Joey O'Brien
Wessel Speel (GK); Milan Mbeng, Paddy Barrett, Lewis Temple, Kameron Ledwidge; Kerr McInroy, Mark Coyle, Jack Henry-Francis; Daniel Kelly, Mipo Odubeko, Harry Wood
Crystal Palace team news
Although Palace head into Thursday’s tie as heavy favourites, Oliver Glasner will respect the magnitude of this fixture by fielding a full-strength side.
However, the Austrian tactician is unable to call upon the talents of influential winger Ismaïla Sarr, who is the only Palace player to score on more than one occasion in this season’s Conference League. The Senegalese international is also in jeopardy of missing the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON), after sustaining ankle ligament damage during last month’s loss to Manchester United at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles have no less than four full-backs on the treatment table, although two of that group are in contention to make a speedy return. Teenage duo Rio Cardines and Caleb Kporha are still going through their respective rehabilitations, but regular starter Daniel Muñoz and Croatian international Borna Sosa are both expected to be included on Thursday’s matchday squad.
Long-term absentees Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad are still recovering from serious knee injuries, but there’s hope both players will be back in action within the next month or so.
Crystal Palace predicted line-up v Shelbourne (3-4-2-1)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
Dean Henderson (GK); Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guéhi; Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell; Justin Devenny, Yeremy Pino, Jean-Philippe Mateta
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
Every single Conference League fixture is available to watch exclusively live on either TNT Sports or the discovery+ app, including next summer’s final at RB Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena. However, this will all change when Sky Sports acquires broadcasting rights for the Europa League and Conference League ahead of the 2027/28 campaign.
Jules Breach will present coverage of Thursday’s meeting between Shelbourne and Crystal Palace alongside former Eagles captain Joel Ward and ex-Irish international goalkeeper Shay Given, while Paul Dempsey and Don Hutchison provide commentary from the gantry.
Head-to-Head record
As Crystal Palace had never previously featured in a major European competition before October’s clash with Dynamo Kyiv, these two sides have unsurprisingly never face one another. Palace made a single appearance in the now-defunct Intertoto Cup, but fell at the first hurdle to Turkish outfit Samsunspor – who currently sit at the summit of this season’s Conference League table – after entering the maligned tournament’s 1998 edition.
Meanwhile, Shelbourne have navigated plenty of continental campaigns over the past six or so decades, but will remarkably encounter an English opponent for the first time on Thursday night. This is also the only occasion in which the Reds have qualified for the group/league phase of a European competition, although few expect the 14-time League of Ireland champions to progress to the knockout stages.
Odds for Shelbourne v Crystal Palace
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change. All odds provided by bet365.