“Every game for us between now and the end of the season is a cup final.

“I’ll take three points any way you get them. Obviously getting that winner down there in injury-time was a great moment but injury-time winners aren’t great for the heart!”

An ever-present in the league this season, Talbot was one of several regular starters left at home as an experimental side travelled to Scotland where they lost out 3-2 to Airdrieonians in the Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Scottish Challenge Cup.

The tournament is considered an unnecessary headache by some but having psyched himself for his Bohs debut in the competition in February only for the tie against East Fife to be called off due to a frozen pitch, Talbot was one player who fancied a crack at it.

He laughed: “It was the tournament I was supposed to make my debut in so I wanted to go to Scotland, I wanted to play!”

But he knows there is bigger priorities ahead. Every point at this stage of the season is crucial and he hopes his team-mates can build on their positive second half performance against Shamrock Rovers a fortnight ago.

Bohs’ eight-game unbeaten run against Rovers game to an end with a 1-0 defeat at Tallaght Stadium but the manner in which they finished the game was encouraging.

Talbot said: “It was disappointing to lose a derby but there were positives to take from the second half. We hit the post, we had balls cleared off the line so it was disappointing not to get something from it.

“We need to start games better than we did against Rovers. We need to trust ourselves to play with the belief from the start.”

While many first teamers got a weekend off last week – two of Bohs’ key men were representing their country in the Ireland U21s’ European qualifier wins against Armenia and Sweden.

Darragh Leahy has been an ever-present at left-back for the Ireland U21s under Stephen Kenny this season, while fellow ex-St Kevin’s man Danny Mandroiu got a chance to show what he can do on the international stage when he was sprung from the bench in Tallaght against Armenia last week before starting in Sweden on Tuesday.

Their involvement came at a cost though, with Mandroiu forced off with a hip injury that sees him ruled out tonight.

That has added to the selection headache with Keith Buckley (hamstring) and Keith Ward (knee) also missing out while Conor Levingston (groin) is a major doubt.

Talbot is no stranger to representing his country at international level. He has won caps at youth level and his early-season form was rewarded with a call-up by Ireland senior team manager Mick McCarthy for the Euro 2020 qualifiers doubleheader against Denmark and Gibraltar.

Until this season, the last Bohemians player to be capped at U21 level was Paddy Madden in 2009 so for the club to have two starring for them now is an achievement.

And with four Bohs-SKB players capped for the Ireland U17s’ friendlies against Russia in Spain in the last week, it is hoped we won’t have to wait another decade for further players to be honoured at U21 level.

Talbot added: “The two lads were buzzing. Darragh is such a good pro and that’s why he’s been in every team for Stephen Kenny.

“The two of them were outstanding. Danny showed his quality too. It’s great to see them get that recognition and do so well representing us for Ireland.

“That’s what you want, you want to see Bohs players being around international teams and to develop and push on further.

“We have some very good young players at the club and more coming through – the likes of Rossie Tierney and Dawson Devoy will hopefully be in contention down the line.”

TEAM NEWS

Darragh Leahy and Danny Mandroiu return from international duty but the latter is set to miss out with a hip injury sustained in Ireland U21s’ win over Sweden on Tuesday.

Keith Buckley (hamstring) and Keith Ward (knee) will also miss out while Conor Levingston (groin) is a major doubt.

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

“People go on about the record, but that’s not something we can think about. Each game is a new one and you can’t be thinking about previous meetings.

“Rovers are in great form at the moment, so it would be foolish to think about any previous games against them.

“We know how important these games are important to fans. But we’re under no illusions as to how tough a game it will be.

“Fans have been right behind us in recent years – not just in Rovers games. But in games like that they really get behind you which is hugely important and gives everyone a lift, particularly somewhere like Tallaght.”

While Rovers come into the game in good form, Bohs’ is a bit on the bumpy side.

In recent weeks they have had it all: The release of coming from 2-0 down at 85 minutes to beat Shelbourne 3-2 in the FAI Cup, the elation of notching the club’s record league victory in a 10-1 win against UCD, the humiliation of a 6-1 defeat to Dundalk in the EA Sports Cup and, most recently, the relief of scraping past Longford Town in the FAI Cup on penalties.

It has been a roller-coaster few games. But Pender admits the team’s performances during that period need to be improved upon if they are to get anything out of tomorrow’s game.

Pender, 34, said: “UCD game aside, we haven’t been playing as well as we are capable of. We know we can do better.

“The performance in Dundalk was probably the worst we’ve played in about three years.

“The most important thing was we got over the line against Longford last week. We started afresh this week in training and it’s been a good week.

“Training has been positive and now we want to go out and give a performance we are capable of.”

Pender has for several seasons been deservedly one of the first names on the teamsheet but over the past year, Andy Lyons has started to challenge him for that right-back berth.

Ireland U19 star Lyons has deputised ably when called upon and benefited from Pender’s recent lengthy suspension for the post-match melee away to UCD in July.

Manager Keith Long will have another welcome headache deciding between the two tomorrow.

In a recent preview, Lyons hailed the impact his captain has had on his development. He said: “Detser has been great to me as he has been to all the younger players and squad as a whole. He looks after all the younger players.

“You learn so much from him all the time both on the pitch and off the pitch but because we play the same position, he has taught me so much on top of that.

“He makes you a better player every time you train with him. He’s been marking some of the same players for 8/9/10 years and he will always help me by giving me little snippets of information on them if I’m playing and how to mark them.”

Despite battling for the same spot in the team, the respect Pender has for a player 15 years his junior is mutual.

Pender said: “Andy has been brilliant for us since he broke into the team last year. Because of how good he has been you forget how young he is. He only did his Leaving Cert this year, which he gets a bit of slagging about.

“But it doesn’t matter what age he is. He’s shown he’s good enough and it’s important that we have that competition throughout the team and it pushes us all on.”

TEAM NEWS

Conor Levingston and Keith Ward are both rated 50/50 with groin strains. Ryan Graydon (ankle) also a doubt.

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

“On Friday the goals came thick and fast. We started the game in fantastic fashion and played with a tempo that UCD didn’t adapt to. In the second half we opened up with good attacking play and quality finishes.

“We asked the boys to contribute in terms of goals and that was pleasing to see. It helped greatly with our goal differential also which could be very important come the end of the season.

“But Monday night was obviously a very different affair. We went to Oriel Park with more than just hope as we have played really well up there on two previous occasions in the league this year but the game was lost in the opening 15 minutes with the concession of three poor goals.

“Uncharacteristic mistakes and some poor organisation saw Dundalk run out comfortable winners. We changed the team as we have consistently done when faced with a quick turnaround from Friday-Monday games. But so did Dundalk. They brought back essentially the starting 11 which has performed in Europe this year and are operating on a different level to what we are used to domestically.

“Dundalk are a good side and took advantage of a poor performance. We are a team that needs preparation between games and are still very young in comparison.

“We all felt embarrassment regarding the result and it was a difficult night when you see the numbers that travelled. In previous Mondays in Oriel the crowd was vocal as we put it up to Dundalk but unfortunately we were unable to do the same and get to a final which the fans deserve.

“There were some positives to take away from the performance. Most notably Ross Tierney’s emergence as a player who will become very influential for the club in the coming years. He’s a young boy who has come through to us from St Kevin’s and our League of Ireland youth teams. He has a fearless attitude we believe he can have a very bright future with us.”

While on the field, it has been a topsy-turvy week, off it has been even more difficult on a personal note for Long.

Irish football lost a popular figure yesterday with the passing of Michael ‘Locker’ Davis, a kitman for several clubs and synonymous for his time working under Pat Devlin – Long’s father-in-law – with Bray Wanderers for the best part of two decades and most recently at Cabinteely.

A minute’s silence will be held at Dalymount Park tonight in his memory.

A testimonial Festival of Football in his honour was to be held this Sunday at Strabrook. That will go ahead as planned with all the proceeds going to Locker’s family.

Long hopes Bohs fans from that neck of the woods will consider attending and said: “It’s been a very sad time for anyone who knew Locker. He was a really good guy. I am devastated for his family, his children, his grandchildren.

“He has been a family friend for many years, my wife has known him her entire life. It’s tough at the moment as he was one of the game’s great characters.

“Our game in this country survive through people like him who are in it because they love the game and not self interest.

“There was a devious side to him too, he was always a messer and trying to see whose buttons he could push – and whose he couldn’t!

“I hope there is a good turnout for his game on Sunday, which would be a fitting send-off.”

On the field tonight, Bohs host a Longford Town team whose preparations have been dominated with speculation linking manager Neale Fenn to the managerial vacancy at Cork City where he was a popular figure as a player during a three-year spell in the mid-noughties before joining Bohemians.

None of that speculation will affect Bohs’ preparations. Having survived a scare against First Division Shelbourne in the previous round, Long’s team are fully aware they need to be right at it to progress through to the quarter-finals.

Long added: “Longford are an expansive side with some good technical players, who have been encouraged by manager Neale Fenn to get on the ball and express themselves.

“Longford will be well organised and difficult opponents. We will have to be at our very best to progress to the next round. We want to bounce back from Monday’s disappointment.”

TEAM NEWS 

James Talbot returns from suspension. James Finnerty (calf) is also available once more.

Danny Grant (hamstring) is Bohs’ biggest doubt, while Rob Cornwall who returned on Friday from a three-month lay-off with an Achilles injury, may not be risked tonight as he is eased back to fitness.

Darragh Leahy (glute), Luke Wade-Slater (hamstring) and Andy Lyons (hamstring) weren’t risked on Monday but should be okay to play tonight.

Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) and Dinny Corcoran (ankle) are unavailable.

“We started the game really well and played some really good stuff. The boys didn’t take the foot off the gas in the second half. They were hungry for goals.

“It was great for Andre to get his first goals for the club, which was important for him. Now that he’s off the mark in the league that will help him going into future games.”

It exorcised the demons too of when Bohs and UCD last met when the Students claimed a 1-0 win at Belfield in July.

Long asked questions of his side that night and again in the 1-0 defeat away to the UCD’s survival rivals Finn Harps at the beginning of the month.

The character shown in the nature of the 3-2 comeback win over Shelbourne in the FAI Cup 10 days ago coupled with Friday’s performance suggests a determination within the squad to answer those questions.

But it will be an altogether different challenge posed tonight against the champions and runaway league leaders.

Vinny Perth’s side bowed out of the Europa League last week with a disappointing 4-1 aggregate defeat against Slovan Bratislava.

Domestically, however, they are showing no signs of a let-up in their dominance and Bohs don’t need any reminding of just how ruthless they Lilywhites can be.

The Gypsies have twice gone up to Oriel Park on Monday nights this season and have matched the Lilywhites on their own patch for 90 minutes only to come home empty-handed after conceding injury-time penalties on both occasions.

For it to happen once was hard to take, for it to happen a second time was gut-wrenching for players, management and travelling support alike, who will all be hoping it is a case of third time lucky tonight.

Long said: “We played extremely well in both games and to lose them was hard to take. Tonight the most important thing is to get the result. The result is more important than the performance.”

Getting that result will be easier said than done but Bohs won’t be lacking in determination in their efforts to do so.

They came agonisingly close to getting to the final of the FAI Cup last season – they were 1-0 up their semi-final against Cork City in the 87 minutes until a controversial penalty decision forced a replay in Turner’s Cross, which they lost.

That heartbreak has reinforced the determination within the dressing room to go one better in the EA Sports Cup where Derry City await the winners of tonight’s game.

If they do, it would be the club’s first major cup final since winning the Setanta Cup in 2010.

Long said: “This group of players want to get to a final. Everyone at the club does.

“There is a hope and expectation there which brings its own pressures but we will go up there giving everything we’ve got to get us to a final.”

Despite the date for this game only being confirmed last Wednesday on account of Dundalk’s involvement in Europe, a large travelling support is expected.

Long said: “The supporters have got behind us up there this season as they have everywhere we’ve gone this season.

“I know the club has supplemented buses for this one. It’s good to be able to give the supporters back something for the support they’ve shown throughout this season, so hopefully we’ll have a big support up there behind us. That can be important if a game is in the balance.”

TEAM NEWS

Goalkeeper James Talbot is suspended due to accrued yellow cards. He is likely to be replaced by Michael Kelly, who was signed at the end of last month.

The 23-year-old most recently played a first-choice goalkeeper for Longford Town last season having previously been on the books at Cabinteely and Shamrock Rovers.

Earlier this year he was training with QPR.

While Talbot misses out through suspension, club captain Derek Pender returns from his.

Rob Cornwall played his first game since April on Friday as he continues his recovery from an Achilles injury. He might not be risked again tonight.

James Finnerty, with whom Cornwall formed a formidable partnership at the heart of the Bohs defence in the early stages of the season, misses out once more with a calf injury.

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