Even though embarking on their first-ever continental campaign, Oliver Glasner's side are adapting at a rapid pace. Without star players like forward Jean-Philippe Mateta and wing-back Daniel Muñoz, the Eagles left Dublin with a comfortable result that all but guarantees them a spot in the Conference League playoffs.
Another victory in their upcoming fixture against Finland's KuPS ought to be enough to secure direct entry to the knockout stages, especially after a prior stumble against Strasbourg.
This match provided a chance for some of Palace's lesser-used talent to shine. Christantus Uche, making only his second beginning after joining on loan from Getafe, opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. Forward Eddie Nketiah contributed a another, scoring for the second consecutive succession.
A Shelbourne side that had concluded their league season proved outmatched even for a largely rotated Palace outfit. The visitors were further weakened by the reports that Mateta and Muñoz are out with knee problems.
In spite of torrential rain in Dublin, Palace quickly took control. A flowing passing sequence in the 11th minute, sparked by Daichi Kamada's clever pass, allowed Nketiah to set up Uche for a simple finish.
Youngster Adam Wharton came close minutes later, driving a long-range effort over the bar. Nketiah subsequently appealed for a penalty after racing into the area, but the referee waved away the protests.
Ex-Arsenal man didn't need to wait long to find his goal, prodding home from a yard out after Uche's effort had hit the post.
Shelbourne were clinging on for dear life. Defender Kameron Ledwidge was fortunate to avoid a booking for a couple of agricultural challenges on Yeremy Pino, before Chris Richards rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from a corner.
The contest was effectively over eight minutes before half-time. Yeremy Pino weaved past a series of weak challenges before coolly slotting a shot past goalkeeper Wessel Speel to extend the lead to 3-0.
Following the break, coach Oliver Glasner seized the opportunity to withdraw several individuals like Kamada and Wharton. Replacement Romain Esse almost scoring with his first touch, only to see his shot blocked.
The youngster was incredibly unlucky later on, seeing one shot crash off both posts before being gathered on the line. Uche then missed a glaring chance, indicating there is still room for development in his game.
The only concern for Palace was a second-half injury to Justin Devenny, who limped off. This allowed 17-year-old forward Benji Casey to make his senior debut, rounding off an otherwise positive night for the traveling side.
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