Bohs fans in Tolka Park in 2013. Pic: Paul Reynolds

Bohs went on to beat the drop, while Heary’s former side slid out of the division once more. Both clubs were at a low ebb at the time with multi-million debts and uncertain futures.

But with those debts largely cleared now and with a groundshare at a redeveloped Dalymount on the horizon, there is renewed belief and optimism in both camps.

Bohs, under the dedicated stewardship of Keith Long, are pushing for a place in Europe, while Shels, in former Gypsy Ian Morris’ first season in management, are on course to win promotion back to the Premier Division.

There have been insignificant meetings in the EA Sports and Leinster Senior cups in the intervening years, but tonight sees Dublin’s oldest derby elevated to top billing once more.

Bohs had the bragging rights the last time the sides met in this competition – Paddy Madden scoring the only goal of the game at Dalymount Park in 2010.

But Shels had the more significant victory a decade earlier in 2000, with Pat Fenlon – a Bohs cup winner as a player in 1992 and as a manager in 2008 – scoring the winner in Dalymount Park the last time a cup final replay was used to determine the winners of the competition.

Bohs vice-captain Keith Buckley is a veteran of those relegation six-pointers in 2013 and so too are some of the players likely to line out for Shels tonight – albeit they donned the red and black of Bohs six years ago.

Dean Delany, Dan Byrne, Luke Byrne and Karl Moore all played their part in keeping Bohs in the top flight that season.

But tonight they and a total of nine ex-Bohs men in the Shels first-team squad – Colin McCabe, Lorcan Fitzgerald, John Ross Wilson, Derek Prendergast and Oscar Brennan being the others – will come to Dalymount with a point to prove against their former employers.

Throw in the fact Shels manager Morris and his assistant Jason McGuinness are also formerly of this parish, you could field an entire Shels XI made up of former Bohemians.

Bar his one season with Bray Wanderers in 2017, Bucko has been with Bohs since 2010 and has played alongside most of them during that time.

He said: “There are a lot of familiar faces. More than half their squad have been with us at some point.

“We know them, they know us. So the knowledge probably cancels each other out. There’s no advantage there for either side.

“I haven’t been talking to any of them, even lads I’d be close to like Luke Byrne. Once the draw was made you want to focus on the game, you don’t want distractions.

“But I know both sets of fans were delighted to draw each other, it has the makings of a good cup tie.

“It should be a great atmosphere. It’s been a long time since the clubs played each other in a big game like this so hopefully the place is hopping.

“Going back through the years when I was growing up, Bohs v Shels was a huge fixture but it’s been a long time since it was this big.

“It’s a one-off game. They’ve a lot of ex-Bohs lads who might feel they have a point to prove so we have to be at our best.

“And it’s not just that. They’re a good side too. They’ve players who have won leagues and cups, the likes of Ciaran Kilduff, Conan Byrne and Lorcan, so we expect a tough game.”

Shels come into the game five points clear at the top of the First Division. Confidence will be high, despite stuttering with a 1-0 defeat away to Cobh Ramblers last week.

But Bohs have faltered themselves. Having occupied third spot for 15 weeks, they were leapfrogged by Derry City having come undone away to Finn Harps last Friday.

Manager Long described the defeat as ‘not good enough’ and Buckley, who missed the game with a hamstring injury, agrees.

He said: “We’ve had a bad result ourselves so we have to prove a point ourselves too. It wasn’t an acceptable result. Harps are a very good side at home to be fair but we have to step up in those kind of games.

“We all need to step up, every one of us, no matter who is playing.”

Bucko celebrates magical quarter-final in the Brandywell last season. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Bohs had a memorable run to the semi-finals of this competition last term.

They were 1-0 up against Cork City and moments from reaching the final until a controversial penalty decision forced a replay.

But they didn’t have enough against the then reigning league champions in Turner’s Cross, despite a wonder goal from the man sitting in the hotseat in the opposition dugout tonight.

Fans are still dreaming of ending an 11-year wait to win the competition once more. But Bucko says the players won’t fall into the trap of thinking that far ahead.

He added: “Every year you want to get to the final but this is only the first round.

“If you look too far ahead, you’ll end up on your arse. It’s the first round – one game – and that’s all we are thinking about right now.”

TEAM NEWS

Skipper Derek Pender remains suspended but Paddy Kirk returns from his one-match ban.

Keith Buckley returns from a hamstring injury, while Rob Cornwall (also hamstring) is available for selection also having been named on the bench against Harps last week after a lengthy lay-off.

Ryan Swan (hamstring) and Kevin Devaney (hip) are sidelined.

Long-term absentees Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remain out.

Keith Buckley visited his local Pearse Area Recreation Centre for the launch of the #ThisIsMyDublin campaign this week promoting Dublin City Sportsfest 2019 – a week-long celebration of sport & physical activity from September 23-29: dublincity.ie/sportsfest 

“They work extremely hard for one another but we have our own ambitions so our own performance level has got to be right

“We have to look after our own results first. We’ve got ourselves into a good position and we want to stay there.

“We’ve nine games left, there will be plenty of ups and downs between now and the end of the season but we need to win games to stay where we are.”

Bohs come into this game on the back of a 1-1 draw with Sligo Rovers.

Long said: “A draw was a probably a fair result. They haven’t lost at the Showgrounds since we beat them earlier in the season, so it was a good point but we could have won it in the second half.”

TEAM NEWS

Captain Derek Pender begins his three-match additional suspension tonight for the part he played in post-match flare-ups against UCD last month, which were instigated by the Students’ goalkeeper Conor Kearns.

Pender is likely to be replaced at right-back by Andy Lyons, who returns to the squad after being away on international duty with Ireland at the Uefa European U19 Championships.

Long added: “Andy had a great tournament and the feedback from Tom Mohan has been top notch. He’s coped well with any challenges he’s come up against so far and now is another opportunity for him.”

Paddy Kirk is suspended for accumulative yellow cards, Keith Buckley (hamstring) is a doubt, Rob Cornwall (Achilles) remains a doubt, while Ryan Swan, a late withdrawal with a hamstring injury ahead of the Sligo game, also remains a doubt.

Long-term absentees Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remain out.

That drive ended up costing him, however.

An Achilles injury has kept him out of action since the end of April and with Talbot keeping three clean sheets in his last four games, those who have come into the team in his place have fared pretty well of late.

Cornwall, 24, admits: “I had tendinitis in my Achilles. It just felt a bit sore, so I played on with it.

“I felt it about ten days before the Derry game away in April. Then I felt it again playing against Derry but I didn’t want to come off, I just wanted to keep playing.

“I kept thinking ‘what’s wrong with me?’ It’s just a bit sore.’

“I don’t know why this went through my head but all I could think about was that goalkeeper who played on in the cup final with a broken neck, so I didn’t want to come off with just a sore foot!

Bert Trautmann

“I just wanted to get on with it and that probably made it worse.

“The staff have been great at the club. Our physios Paul Kirwan – Paul is an expert in this particular area – and Robbie Murray have been first class with me, so I have to thank them, Cathal Murtagh (strength and conditioning coach) and Remy Tang (club sport scientist).

“I’m back training now and my objective is to get fit and back into the team when an opportunity comes. I’m back training since last week and fully back this week.”

But winning back his place in the team now will be trickier than one would have expected earlier in the year.

His form then was such that he was probably one of the first names on Keith Long’s teamsheet each week.

His absence was felt too – Bohs went on a run of six league games without keeping a clean sheet. But they’ve shored up since with those tasked with filling his place in the side stepping up to the plate.

Cornwall admits: “The lads have done really well. I’ll have to bide my time to get an opportunity.

“We’ve some very good defenders at the club. With myself and Aaron Barry being injured, Michael Barker has come into the team and has done really well.

“He’s one of the most underrated players in the league in my opinion but he’s done so well people are starting to realise just how good he is now.

“Barks was unlucky at the start of the season getting injured himself but he’s got into the side now and has done really well. I’ve seen it in training, so it’s no surprise to me.

“Then you’ve had Darragh Leahy play centre-half recently. To move from left-full to centre-half and do so well is impressive.

“He was brilliant against St Pat’s… I was cursing him. I might have to change position to get in the team they’ve done so well.. maybe there’s room in midfield.”

Bohs travel to Sligo buoyed by 3-0 Dublin derby win against St Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday.

It was an encouraging performance from Bohs, particularly in the second half, but certainly not as emphatic a performance as the scoreline suggested.

Sligo beat the Gypsies in their last meeting with a sucker-punch in the 89th minute to win 2-1 in Dalymount Park back in May, so they too are not a side that Bohs will underestimate.

The previous meeting between the sides at The Showgrounds in April saw Bohs travel home happy with three points and a 2-0 win in a game that Cornwall was sent off in for a clumsy last-man challenge.

“We still kept a clean sheet though,” he is at pains to point out and adds: “Every game for us from now until the end of the season is a tough one. We’ve got ourselves into a good position but we have to be at it every game to stay there.”

“Sligo have already beaten us this season. Liam Buckley has won everything there is to win as a manager in this league so we know we are in for another tough game.”

TEAM NEWS

Derek Pender and Danny Mandroiu return from suspension.

Aaron Barry (hamstring), Rob Cornwall (Achilles) and Danny Grant (hamstring) all returned to full training last week, with Grant coming off the bench against St Pat’s on Sunday, and all are in contention against Sligo.

Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remain out.

Andre Wright could be included in squad for first time after international clearance came through on Thursday.

Andy Lyons has returned following Ireland’s exit from the Uefa U19 European Championships but is likely to be rested.

Wardy, 28, said: “It was a great night on Wednesday for the club. As a team I think we gave a very good account of ourselves.

“The way we played, I think outsiders to the league at the game will have been impressed.

“We kept the ball and we went at them when we could. We know it was only a friendly but hopefully we showed people there is quality in our league and that we can play.”

Eric Molloy celebrates equaliser v Chelsea – Thomas McCormack

Bohs emptied their bench on Wednesday – it was very much an exhibition game. But it is back to real business tomorrow when they face a resurgent UCD in Belfield.

Collie O’Neill has seen key men Conor Davis, Neil Farrugia and Gary O’Neill leave the club in recent weeks but has also seen his team move off the foot of the table in the same period.

First they beat Finn Harps in a relegation six-pointer. And on Friday they both helped Bohs’ bid to stay in third but also provided Long’s men a reminder – if one was needed – that they are capable of getting results as they drew 0-0 away to fourth-placed Derry City.

Ward said: “You can’t underestimate UCD, they’ve got good young players. We know they’ve lost some players but they still have quality and they’ve brought in Jack Keaney from Sligo too.

“They’ve got a win and a draw in their last two games and we are in for a tricky game. We’ve done our homework and we know it will be difficult.”

To get a result, Bohs will need to be more potent in front of goal than they have in recent weeks. James Talbot has claimed three clean sheets from four but up front, Bohs have fired blanks in recent 0-0 draws against Derry City and Cork City.

Ward concedes they are missing key man Dinny Corcoran, out with an ankle injury. But he has backed Bohs’ attacking players, himself included, to come up with the goods.

He said: “When any team loses their main striker it can be difficult. It’s up to us as attacking players to step up.

“When we don’t keep clean sheets, we’re at our defenders so as attacking players we know we need to chip in at the other end too.

“We’re working hard in training to do that and I know we can improve.”

One man in midfield who has chipped in at various stages this season is Danny Mandroiu.

Up until this season, Ward tended to occupy the role of attacking midfielder sitting in behind the lone striker.

But Mandroiu’s form in that position has seen Ward moved out to the left wing, while they both also vie for set-piece duties.

Ward laughs: “I nearly scored a free-kick against Derry! Our rivalry is a healthy one, but I’m older and better looking.

“The fans have taken to him, he’s been great for us. Obviously, everyone was talking about the goal against Rovers and he deserved to win Player of the Month.

“But he’s been one of the standout players in the league and they’re the kind of players you want to play with. I don’t mind playing on the wing, the main thing is I’m playing and contributing to the team.”

TEAM NEWS

Aaron Barry (hamstring), Rob Cornwall (Achilles), Danny Grant (hamstring), Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remain out. Andy Lyons is away with the Ireland U19s.

Michael Barker and Kevin Devaney (both concussion) returned to the fray against Chelsea.