The Tractor Boys were impressive at Selhurst Park, but fell to a late Ismaila Sarr strike on the day.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat, McKenna said: “I think it was a really competitive game.
“I think we certainly played our part in that. I think it was at least even in terms of the opportunities that we had.
“Crystal Palace had their opportunities as well and we certainly feel we were good value for a goal today and we were really close on a couple of occasions to getting the first goal.
“And, of course, it’s a sickening result. To come away from home and be as competitive as we were against a strong Crystal Palace side who have been in good form for a good period of time, to do it in a week when we’ve been away and played 120 minutes in the FA Cup on Monday night with a depleted squad, to come and compete as we have today, is another reflection of a lot of good things in the group that they’re showing.
“But we also know that we have to keep working to turn those margins in our favour. I know that’s been the story for a lot of the season, but that’s the only path forward, that’s the reality of it.
“We’ve still got a group that’s learning and growing and developing. Julio Enciso was starting his third game, Jaden Philogene’s a few games into his career here, we’ve got a large majority of the group who are very, very early in their Premier League experiences and careers, and they’re learning all the time.
“I think you can see individual growth and development in individuals and in the group and we need to try and accelerate that as much as we can to turn the margins in our favour and try and pick up some wins and some points in the remaining 10 games, starting especially next week.”
McKenna admits Ipswich's players were furious over the lead-up to Sarr's late winner.
“Kalvin (Phillips) thought it was a foul, I haven’t looked at that aspect of it too much,” the Blues manager said, reflecting on a collision between Phillips and Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada.
“It’s a tackle that we win, it ricochets to Sarr and he shows the level. His acceleration over three or four yards from where the ball ricocheted to him to end up six yards out one-v-one with the goalkeeper was incredible acceleration and shows the level of the league and the execution that they had to take the goal.
“We’ll look at that bit of it. I don’t think we’ve defended the situation too badly. I certainly don’t think we’ve defended in the game too badly, considering it was a pretty open game at times.
“But, there’s certainly an element of luck in the goal but, as always, we’ll focus on the bits we can control and trying to get better at those.”