Long will wait to see how his squad comes through Friday’s game in Drogheda before considering whether to make changes for the EA Sports Cup tie against Longford Town on Tuesday – three days before the two teams meet again in the league. “It’s not ideal that we have to play Longford Town twice, but that’s how the draw worked out,” he said.

Anto Murphy is available again, having missed the Shamrock Rovers game through suspension. 18-year-old Stephen Best came in for Murphy and won plaudits for his performance.

The ex-Crumlin United defender is one of the assets that Long will manage carefully. Best still has commitments to the under-19 side, now in the quarter-finals of the championship.

“Stephen is a player we have high hopes for. We have to manage his game-time for the benefit of Stephen and the team. He has a big-game mentality for someone so young and he has a good temperament. He fully justified his selection, making his full league debut against Shamrock Rovers,” the Bohemian manager said.

“If he continues to work hard, and keeps his feet on the ground, he can only improve as a player. But we are pleased with his progress to date.”

Dave Mulcahy (calf) and Dan Byrne (cruciate) remain sidelined through injury. But Mulcahy has returned to training and is already showing his influence on the players around him, according to Long.

Byrne is doing non-contact training, as he recovers from long-term injury. But he will not be rushed back, Long insists.

“We want to give a good account of ourselves. That’s what our supporters want to see. They want to see us trying to play football, they want to see the honesty and the work-rate that we saw on Tuesday. If we get that, then we can’t ask for any more from the players.”

Although the result against Dundalk was disappointing, the manager took a lot of positives from the performance, which saw the Gypsies threatening for long periods.

“There’s no shame in defeat to Dundalk. The scoreline was a little skewed in that we constantly went for it throughout the game. We had a go at them and I don’t think 3-0 was a fair reflection,” he said.

The home side created a number of chances against the Lilywhites on Tuesday and Long has stressed the importance of capitalising on opportunities, especially in big games. “Goals win games, and we’ve got to be clinical in front of goal. Having said that, I’d be a little bit more worried if we weren’t creating the chances.”

Finally, the Bohs boss is expecting full commitment from his charges on the big stage. He added: “The players have set a minimum standard for themselves that when they cross the line in that red and black shirt, that they give absolutely everything. I expect no different on Friday night.”

Bohs have no fresh injury worries ahead of the game with Pat Fenlon’s Hoops. Long-term absentees Dan Byrne (cruciate) and Dave Mulcahy (calf) remain on the sidelines, while Anto Murphy is suspended following his dismissal against Dundalk.

In Bray last Saturday Bohemians created many more scoring opportunities than they converted, but secured the win with a second-half goal.

“You’d be more worried if you weren’t creating the chances. But we’ve got to learn to convert them when they come our way. Against some of the better teams the chances may not come as often,” said Long.

Keeping a fifth clean sheet in as many competitive games gave Bohemians the win with a single goal. “You build from the back, that’s the foundation of what we do, so we’re really pleased not to have conceded a goal as yet in the league,” said Long.

Saturday’s goal came from Adam Evans, who also scored away against Limerick in the first league game. The 20-year-old has shone as one of Bohemians’ stars so far, testing defences repeatedly with his runs down the left.

“I’m really happy for Adam. He is unproven in the League of Ireland. I knew him as a school-boy player with Belvedere, when he was highly thought of,” said Long.

“He has always had lightning pace. He’s a young man and he will mature and adapt to the pace and physicality of League of Ireland football.

“He is seeing the benefits of the pre-season with the team, and now he has the greater confidence that comes from scoring goals.”

Bohemians have all players available for the Dundalk game, apart from long-term injury Dan Byrne (cruciate) and Dave Mulcahy (calf), who will rejoin team training in the next week or two.

The part-time squad will be fully tested with three games in six days, but Long is focused on getting the best-possible side out in Tuesday’s game before he thinks about Friday’s trip to Tallaght.

The Bohemian manager remains optimistic about his squad’s possibilities. “We’re going to improve. We will evolve. The team will change from time to time. For this week, we will do our very best to get a result in the games.”

In three league and league-cup games, Bohemians have racked up eight goals without conceding any. Five of the goals have come from set-pieces, two more last Friday when defender Anto Murphy scored from a free-kick and from a corner.

For Long, last weekend’s win against Galway United was “very pleasing, because we didn’t play to our full potential”.

Bohemians created many more scoring opportunities than they converted and Long admits he doesn’t know precisely what was not clicking.

“We were a bit loose at times and didn’t keep the ball as well as we could, or should,” he said. “We know we can get better but the pleasing thing is to pick up the win having not played at our best. That’s a good habit to get into.”

Dave Mulcahy (calf) and Dan Byrne (cruciate) are still out but Long otherwise has a full squad to choose from. The trip to Bray is followed on Tuesday by a home game against the league champions Dundalk but the manager is not planning to save any players.

“We’ve got to give Bray every respect, which we will do. We can’t take our foot off the pedal. We have to try and win,” he said.

“After Saturday, we will think about Tuesday. But for Saturday, we’ll put our best foot forward and pick our strongest XI against Bray.”

Following Tuesday’s showing by an almost-entirely changed team, he has the “problem that I want” of many alternative selections. “We made nine changes to the game and the boys did very well. That’s what we want, competition for every place, and everybody putting themselves into contention.”

Long expects Galway to fight hard for their first league points, after forfeiting an early lead last week against Derry City. “I’m sure they’ll be disappointed not to have picked up some points against Derry. They’ll be coming to Dalymount expecting to get a result.

“Tommy [Dunne] did very well to bring Galway up in his first season in charge, and he knows what it takes to be competitive in the Premier Division. I am under no illusions they will present a big test for us.”

Long says Bohemians’ weak home form in recent seasons has not been an issue within his squad. “We want to put in a good, positive performance in front of our supporters, get our season started in Dalymount on the right note, and hopefully send the supporters home happy with three points.”

Bohemian have all carried-over suspensions served, and only Dan Byrne and Dave Mulcahy are out through injury. Mulcahy (calf) will return to team training later this month and Byrne (cruciate) is building his fitness towards contact training in the coming weeks.

President Michael D. Higgins will attend Friday’s match, seeing Galway in action again after returning to his home-town last weekend. A strong supporter of the League of Ireland, President Higgins will be present at Dalymount Park also to mark Bohemians’ 125th anniversary year.

Among those meeting the poet-President will be Lewis Kenny, Bohemians’ newly appointed Poet in Residence.