“I haven’t quite decided what course I want to do yet but I’m looking at courses in business, sport and communications and I’ll have a good think over the next while.”

He will put those considerations to one side once more tonight when he is likely to line out at right-back again when Bohemians host UCD at Dalymount Park.

Lyons, who came through the Bohs system and U17 and U19 level, broke into the first team last season, making four starts and one substitute appearance in the league having initially been tested in the Leinster and EA Sports cup competitions.

But he has come on even further this year. He has been involved in nine league games of which he has started eight and played the full 90 minutes.

And after his Leaving Cert, there was the small matter of starring for his country as Tom Mohan’s Ireland reached the semi-finals of the European U19 Championships.

His performances in Armenia didn’t go unnoticed, with Bohs manager Keith Long acknowledging: “Andy had a great tournament and the feedback from Tom has been top notch. He has coped well with any challenges he’s come up against so far.”

Lyons, who joined Bohs from Long’s former club St Joseph’s Boys, is grounded and appreciates the role his manager and backroom team have played in getting him to that point.

And having captained Craig Sexton’s Bohs U19s to league and cup glory last season, he is now hungry to progress even further in the first team now too.

He said: “I’m really grateful to Keith and Trevor for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to play first-team football. It’s been an unbelievable year for me.

“Playing the league had me in good stead going to the Euros. We were playing against the best players in the world at that age group, players at some of the biggest clubs and leagues in the world but first-team football prepared me well.

“I was pleased with how we fared and how I did myself personally too. We were unlucky to be playing a really good Portugal team in the semi-finals. Losing that game was disappointing. On another day we might have done better but overall the tournament was an amazing experience.”

Lyons’ most recent game-time has seen him make the most of the opportunity afforded him in the absence of suspended skipper Derek Pender.

‘Detser’ sits out again tonight as he completes a four-match ban for the part he played in post-match scenes when Bohs faced – and lost to – tonight’s opposition in Belfield last month.

Those unnecessary scenes were instigated by the provocations of UCD goalkeeper Conor Kearns, who also remains suspended for tonight’s game as a result of his idiocy.

Lyons said: “I was away at the time at the Euros so I didn’t see the whole incident but I know there was a bit of handbags at the end.

“Detser is a hugely important person to the team and at the club so it’s never going to be easy for me to stay in the team but when I get an opportunity to play I want to make the most of it.”

While Lyons is bidding to do enough tonight to keep Pender out of the team on his return from suspension, he is quick to point out the huge influence his captain has had on his development as a player.

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.”

Having come unstuck when the sides last met and having lost to Finn Harps in their last league outing, Bohs know there will be no room for error if they are to regain the third place position they ceded to Derry City with that defeat in Ballybofey.

Lyons said: “We’re under no illusions going into any game that we have to be at it. We lost to them out in the Bowl and even when they came to Dalymount the last time they gave us a really good game in the first half.

“They’ve already beaten us so will feel confident again so we have to be at our very best.”

But Bohs are confident too. Poor defensive lapses saw them 2-0 down in last week’s Extra.ie FAI Cup tie against Shelbourne but the manner of their six-minute turnaround to win the tie has their tails up.

Captain on the night Keith Buckley led by example and his goal sparked the comeback on 85 minutes, while some magic from Danny Mandroiu saw him equalise three minutes later before sealing the deal injury time.

Lyons added: “We shouldn’t have been 2-0 down in the first place so that was disappointing from a defensive point of view. But the most important thing was we showed our character as a team to dig deep and turn the game around.

“Even at 2-0 down, we believed we could get back into it and at least bring the game to extra time… but to win it in normal time was special.

“I think fans are getting used to seeing a bit of magic from Danny but Bucko’s goal was excellent too. Obviously the fans, everyone at the club and in the team were buzzing all week and we need to bring that confidence into the UCD game now.”

TEAM NEWS

Skipper Derek Pender serves the final game of his four-match ban for the part he played in a post-match flare-up the last time these sides met.

Rob Cornwall (Achilles), Ryan Swan (hamstring) and Kevin Devaney (hip) are all available for selection once more, but James Finnerty (calf) is a doubt.

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

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.