With that in mind, Long is keeping feet firmly on the ground as the Gypsies welcome Sligo Rovers to Dalymount Park.

He said: “It was a very important win against St Pat’s.

“In previous seasons, we have been slow coming back off the mid-season break so it was vital, having drawn our last home game against Drogheda, that we got something from the game.

“Our second-half performance was really good and it was in line with what we feel this group of players is capable of.

“In the first half, we weren’t at the races. Pat’s deservedly went in at half-time in front.

“Oscar Brennan set the tone for the second half by showing great desire to be first to a 50-50 ball and great composure to slot the ball home to bring us back into the game.

“Dinny Corcoran continued his fine form in front of goal with an expert finish from a sublime Keith Ward pass.

“The night was complete when Georgie showed great energy to get on to another piece of clever play from Wardy and finish to the bottom corner.”

The victory sparked joyous celebrations in The Shed End of Richmond Park and Long appealed to those same supporters to assist the Player Fund set up by club members and fans last week.

Long said: “The scenes afterwards typify this club. We brought another big travelling support and the atmosphere generated on the back of what the lads produced on the pitch really spurred the players on.

“We all want more nights like that – more performances like the second half. If we can produce that, it could be an exciting second half of the season.

“We must, however, guard against any sort of complacency – throughout the club. We are not good enough to be complacent against any team.

“We are involved in a massive battle. The transfer window will open on July 1 and it’s important we try and strengthen our squad to give us the best chance of competing.

“Our rivals will invest. Case in point is our opponents tomorrow announcing the signing of two professional players from the UK (Rhys McCabe and Benny Igiehon).

“With three teams going down this year, other clubs will follow suit.

“It’s a difficult window to get players in but, if possible, we must recruit well and affect the squad in a positive way.

“Resources are finite and the recent appeal for donations to a player fund highlights this fact.

“But Bohs supporters are proud people who love their club and have always got behind any drive to support the club.

“We need their support. I have always said I want the players and supporters to be together. The rapport this group has built up with them is fantastic.

“Now we need them now more than ever to get behind the lads.”

TEAM NEWS

Bohemians welcome Lorcan Fitzgerald back from suspension. But Dylan Hayes remains suspended as he serves the last of his three-game ban.

Defenders Rob Cornwall (hip) and Ian Morris (knee) are both doubtful meaning 18-year-old defender Warren O’Hora, who made his league debut off the bench last week, could once again step in.

Ismahil Akinade (surgery to remove spleen) and Eoin Wearen (cruciate) remain on the sidelines.

Four of Bohs’ six wins this season have come away from home and Long is determined to add to that tomorrow.

He said: “We could have done without the mid-season break, I don’t really see the point of it.

“But it’s a good game to start back with. It’s a Dublin derby and Richmond Park is a great surface to play on.”

A full-time side, few would have predicted that St Pat’s would be sitting in the relegation zone.

But Long says his side will not get lulled into a false sense of security – Liam Buckley’s side have already humbled the Gypsies 4-0 in Dalymount Park this season.

Long added: “The table doesn’t lie but they turned us over the last time we played them, so we know all about the quality they possess.

“But we have to concentrate on our own game and ensure we put in a good performance.

“We’ve worked hard in training all week and we’ve hammered that home to the players.”

TEAM NEWS

Bohs must plan without suspended duo Lorcan Fitzgerald (five yellow cards) and Dylan Hayes (additional two-match suspension following red card v Limerick).

Ismahil Akinade has stepped up his rehabilitation from surgery (to remove his spleen) by playing 45 minutes in a training game on Wednesday night. But he is still not ready to be considered for first-team action.

Eoin Wearen (cruciate) remains sidelined. Striker Steo Donnelly, signed from Usher Celtic, is not yet eligible to play.

They bounced back with a hard-fought 2-1 win away to Galway United last Friday night and now Long has told his troops to match that level of performance at home.

He said: “We will endeavour to end the first half of the season on a positive note before the mid-season break.

“Dalymount is a fantastic place to play football but we have to improve our home form in order for us to gain a measure of consistency.

“We have lost too many games at Dalymount despite the fact that our attendances have been very good and our supporters have been right behind us in every game.

“We’ve let ourselves down to an extent at home so far this campaign. We need to start grinding out results and make home advantage pay.

“If we can do that and continue our decent away form, we will give ourselves every chance of climbing the table.”

Long was particularly disappointed with the manner in which his side failed to register any points on the board from their last home game.

Having fallen behind to Limerick after 15 minutes, the Gypsies equalised through Georgie Poynton on the half-hour mark.

Momentum was in Bohs’ favour going in at the break, but they failed to push on in the second half and were left empty-handed when miscommunication at the back saw Dan Byrne’s own goal win it for Neil McDonald’s men.

Long said: “We were extremely disappointed. If ever there was a game that highlighted our home form, that was it.

“We didn’t play particularly well. When the game was in the balance, we needed to bring the game to the opposition but came up short.

“We conceded a late goal which was gut-wrenching in a game that we didn’t play well in but should have got something from.

“As a group we can learn from this and ensure that in future we are more demanding of each other and have leaders all over the pitch who are prepared to whatever it takes to get the job done.”

Despite the manner of that defeat, heads did not drop for the trip to Eamonn Deacy Park three days later as goals from Dinny Corcoran and Lorcan Fitzgerald secured all three points.

Long said: “We scored two really good goals in the first half and were dangerous on the break. But we really had to dig deep and soak up a lot of Galway pressure in the second half to get the points.

“It was difficult for the players having played three games in a week but the lads showed great determination and spirit to come away with a hard-earned win.”

In Pete Mahon’s ninth-placed Drogheda, Bohs once again face another side looking over their shoulders and scrapping for points.

Long added: “Drogheda have proved difficult opponents for us this season and we enjoyed the rub of the green in United Park.

They have some talented players and a very experienced backroom team. It is imperative now that we try and follow up last Friday’s good result with another win.”

TEAM NEWS

Paddy Kavanagh, who missed last week’s trip to Galway with a rib injury, remains a doubt. Dylan Hayes returns from suspension.

Eoin Wearen (cruciate) and Ismahil Akinade (recovering from surgery to remove spleen) remain sidelined.

“We came from behind to win it and that’s the second time we’ve done that against Bray this season, which is the kind of character we know we need.

“Bray were second in the table for a reason, so it was a very good result, especially given the run we were on.

“The challenge now is to build on it. We can’t dwell too much on one result – we’ve two big games this week.”

The first of those sees Bohs host Limerick at Dalymount Park tonight before travelling to Galway on Friday.

The Gypsies came out on top with a 1-0 victory the last time they faced the Shannonsiders in March, but much has changed at the Markets Field club since.

They parted ways with Martin Russell at the start of April and the highly-experienced Neil McDonald was finally appointed as his permanent successor as manager last week.

McDonald has previously bossed the likes of Carlisle and Blackpool and had served on the backroom team of former Limerick manager Sam Allardyce at Bolton, Blackburn and West Ham, and under Iain Dowie at Crystal Palace and Mike Phelan at Hull City.

Long said: “Limerick are not going to be easy opponents.

“They’ve a new manager who has worked at a very high level and while they lost to Dundalk on Friday, he will have had a few days working with them to try put his own stamp on things.

“With a new manager, we can’t be sure about what way he will approach the game.

“Under Martin, they were quite open and expansive. We just have to be ready to adapt to whatever way they set up.

“But we’re looking forward to it, we want to build a bit of momentum now.”

The return of frontman Dinny Corcoran has increased the optimism levels around the dressing room and understandably so.

Having scored five in five league games at the start of the season, Corcoran had been missing since being forced off with a knee injury against Galway United on St Patrick’s Day.

He got his first start since then against Shamrock Rovers 11 days ago and returned to form with two goals against Bray, dovetailing perfectly with a refreshed and bullish Keith Ward.

Long said: “It’s great to have Dinny back. We needed that focal point in the team.

“With us missing Dinny and Izzy Akinade, it wasn’t easy for players being asked to play in an unfamiliar role.

“But Dinny is a natural centre-forward and a natural goalscorer. We saw that again on Friday.

“He doesn’t panic in front of goal – his first against Bray was an exceptional finish after a great ball in by Keith.

“Wardy has probably suffered in Dinny’s absence. They have a brilliant understanding, it’s almost telepathic. The two of them were excellent.”

While Corcoran and Ward took most of the compliments, the boys at the back played their part too.

Long added: “We were disappointed with the goal we conceded to be fair but, collectively and individually, we were quite solid in defence otherwise.

“Derek Pender kept Dylan Connolly quiet for most of the night, which is no easy task.

“We put Ian Morris in at left-back – an unfamiliar role for him – because we thought his height would be an advantage defensively.

“Dan Byrne and Rob Cornwall were solid in the centre too and Shane Supple, as well as pulling off a few great saves, kept the pressure off the defence by coming forward and collecting corners and crosses.”

TEAM NEWS

Bohs continue with an unchanged squad. Long-term absentees Ismahil Akinade (surgery to remove spleen) and Eoin Wearen (cruciate) the only players ruled out.