Uche Ignites Straightforward Palace Victory at Shelbourne.
Even though entering their maiden continental adventure, Oliver Glasner's side are learning at a rapid pace. Without star figures like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and defender Daniel Muñoz, the London club left Dublin with a comfortable win that all but secures them a spot in the Conference League qualifying rounds.
A further victory in their upcoming fixture against Finnish KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct entry to the last 16, especially after a prior setback against Strasbourg.
Fringe Players Seize the Opportunity
This occasion offered a chance for some of Palace's fringe players to shine. Christantus Uche, in only his second start after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken finish. Forward Eddie Nketiah added a another, finding the net for the second game in match.
The Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season were outmatched even for a largely second-string Palace outfit. The visitors were already weakened by the news that Mateta and Muñoz are sidelined with leg problems.
Control Established from the Outset
Despite heavy rain in Dublin, Palace rapidly established dominance. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's incisive pass, allowed Nketiah to lay on Uche for a straightforward tap-in.
Midfielder Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a powerful shot over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after bursting into the box, but the referee dismissed the appeals.
The formerArsenal striker did not have wait long to get his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were hanging on desperately. Full-back Kameron Ledwidge was lucky to avoid a booking for two agricultural tackles on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the woodwork with a powerful header from a corner.
Yeremy Pino Seals the Contest
The contest was as good as over eight minutes from half-time. Yeremy Pino meandered past a series of weak challenges before calmly slotting a shot past keeper Wessel Speel to make it 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner took the chance to rest several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Substitute Romain Esse almost scoring his very first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
Esse was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a sitter of a chance, indicating there is still room for improvement in his game.
A solitary worry for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who was forced off. This allowed 17-year-old striker Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise positive evening for the visiting side.
