Steven Nolan made his first-team breakthrough last season and has featured in senior squads again this term, while U19s skipper Andy Lyons has deputised in the place of first-team captain Derek Pender at times this season and delivered mature performances way beyond his 18 years.

Lyons was one of four of the team that will play tomorrow who featured in the first team’s Dublin derby win over St Patrick’s Athletic 10 days ago – the others being winger Ryan Graydon, two-goal debutant Ali Reghba and pacey attacker Promise Omochere.

Sexton said: “Some of the boys didn’t meet the criteria, which is disappointing but we have a strong group who I believe will be strongly competitive and positive as they always have been.

“The issue around eligibility for the compeitition are what they are but they are kinder to the winter leagues rather than summer leagues.

“But in this group we have young boys who have done really well over the last 18 months. They will play with no fear and are determined to get a positive result tomorrow.

“We want to bring the tie back to Dalymount in three weeks’ time and show people what we are about.”

The budding Gypsies had an early start and a long day’s travel today, catching a 6.25am flight from Dublin to London Stansted, a connecting flight at 11.30 to Aarhus and a coach journey to Herning.

Sexton said: “I was actually expecting the travel to be harder on the boys but they’re grand.

“We’ll get to train later but it will be quite light. We’ll get the travelling out of their legs, have a bit of fun and then get them refocused on to the game.

“We’ll look at some video and analysis and get them prepared for tomorrow.”

Reaching this competition is the culmination of a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes at youth level, which has been complemented this season by working closely with new partners St Kevin’s at U17 and U15 level.

Sexton added: “It’s a great experience for everyone. Getting able to travel, coming across to play in a different culture is what we should be striving for all the time for young players.

“To do it in a competitive environment is great for them. It creates a real edge for them.

“Everyone at the club has bought into it. They know the U19s have done the extremely proud and we’ve had brilliant support from the club.

“Hopefully long may it continue. We want to make being in the UEFA Youth League a habit and everyone in the first team is striving to get to Europe too.

“Right through from the partnership teams with St Kevin’s at U15s and U17s, there is huge effort being made to bring players through.

“The link with St Kevin’s is already bearing fruits with the U15s and U17s and we will see that come through then in the next year or two for the U19s.

“It’s been fantastic. The U17s have gone 20 games unbeaten, which is phenominal. Hopefully they can see that through into the knockout phase as Jimmy Mowlds and the boys deserve it.

“They were desparetely unlucky to lose to Cork in the final last year but they’ve been brilliant. When they players move from U17s to U19s, they make the transition quickly because they’ve already been in a competitive environment and that stands them in good stead.”

Bohemians U19 squad: Seán Bohan, Jamie Cleary, Alex Nevin; Michell Byrne, Seamus Curley, Warren Curran, Andrew Lyons, Peter Adigun, Thomas Considine; Dylan Thornton, Alex Kelly, Josh Dunne, Conor O’Neill, Ryan Graydon, Arturs Balavins; Ross Tierney, Ali Reghba, Promise Omochere, Steven Nolan.

“We will be up against it against a strong Cork side. But we feel that we are ready. The boys are hungry to do well.

“If we play well we know we have a chance. We’ll have a big crowd behind us. The feelgood factor is good around the club. People are talking us up and we can’t shy away from that.

“We’ve had barren spells earlier in the season, so we have to enjoy the moment and do all we can to keep it going.”

These sides met two weeks ago in the league at the same venue with Bohs pulling off a 4-2 victory to derail City’s bid to retain their league title.

John Caulfield’s side will be eyeing revenge and Long said: “Our last game against Cork is immaterial. They’ll have players back – Alan Bennett, Kieran Sadlier.

“Cork will be stronger than they were in the league game. That will have no bearing on this. Obviously it was important that we won that game and it kept up the good run of form we’ve been on.

“But we’ve been beaten three times by them this season prior to that so we know we have to be at our very best against them.

“We’re in a good run of form and people will rightly point to that as we’re coming into the game with confidence but when you look at where Cork are in the table, I don’t consider ourselves favourites.”

Bohs come into this game refreshed after Long started an entirely different starting XI at last Saturday’s 3-1 derby win away to St Patrick’s Athletic.

Given the experimental nature of the team, it was perhaps one of the most notable of the Gypsies’ nine wins in a row.

Long said: “It would have been foolhardy to play players 68 hours after running themselves into the ground in Derry so we felt we had to make 11 changes last week.

“It was a really rewarding display for everyone at the club and for everyone associated with bringing those players through.

“You could see the potential of the boys we have here, which has been strengthened further with our partnership with St Kevin’s.

“The players came in and showed what they’re capable of. We went a goal down very early in the game and the manner in which they responded to that made it an even more pleasing performance.

“It took 15/20 minutes for the team to find their feet but once they settled down and played their stuff, they grew into the game.

“They’ve given me food for thought, not just for next season but for this game too. Fellas have come in, they’ve put their hand up, they’ve done well and are in the reckoning to feature.”

TEAM NEWS

Bohs are at full strength bar long-term absentee Ryan Swan (cruciate) and Ryan Masterson (thigh).

“The players were spurred on by that from the moment they stepped out on to the pitch. It was special.

“Derry threw caution to the wind in the second half to a certain extent so we are delighted to be sitting here with a semi-final to look forward to.”

The high tempo and energy-sapping manner of Bohs’ performance on Wednesday mean Long will need to freshen up his side for the short trip to face his former club at Richmond Park.

He said: “We have to listen to players and their bodies. Wednesday took a lot out of the players both physically and emotionally.

“We’ll have at least one change forced upon us with Derek Pender ruled out after suffering a head injury.

“We’ve other players who have niggles who we need to manage too. But we have a squad we believe in and players who can come in and step up to the mark when called upon.

“It’s an important game, it’s a Dublin derby, so it’s the perfect game to come back into after Wednesday as there’s a lot at stake again.

“Motivation is high across the squad. Everyone is pushing each other for game-time.”

And the manager is expecting another close game as his side look to make it nine wins in a row.

He added: “There’s only three points between the sides and there’s been very little between the teams over the past number of seasons.

“That’s been the case again this season – we’ve lost one, drawn one and won one against them so we expect it to be close.”

TEAM NEWS

Derek Pender (head injury), Cristian Magerusan (hamstring), Ryan Masterson (thigh) and Ryan Swan (cruciate) are all ruled out. Darragh Leahy (quad) is a doubt.

Danny Grant (bug) returns to the squad where he will be joined by U19 team-mates Andy Lyons, Jamie Hamilton, Ryan Graydon, Promise Omochere and Ali Reghba.

But Bohs manager Keith Long is not one to look back or allow his side to pat themselves on the back for recent results.

He said: ”Our league win up there a few weeks ago will have no bearing on this game. We’re obviously on a good run but Derry will be on a high after winning the EA Sports Cup on Sunday too.

“There is a lot at stake for both clubs, it’s a huge game. But we are looking forward to it.

“We’re going into the game focused and having prepared professionally. It’s two teams coming into the game feeling they can win it. Something will have to give.”

This is the third round running where Bohs have had to travel away from home.

They enjoyed bumper support in the previous rounds when they got the better of First Division sides Wexford and Galway United 7-0 and 2-0 respectively.

With the Gypsies faithful lapping up recent results, Long is hoping for another strong presence in The Brandywell’s away section, despite the inconvenient scheduling of this fixture.

Long added: “It’s unfortunate it’s on a Wednesday but we think we’ll have good support behind us going up there.

“We’ve always had good support but even more so in recent months.

“The lads got a standing ovation against Cork at half-time on Friday, never mind full-time. That means a lot to them and it’s fantastic for their confidence.

“Derry are at home and will have a huge crowd behind them but we know we can count on our travelling support to be behind us all the way.”

TEAM NEWS

Ryan Masterson (quad), Danny Grant (bug) and Darragh Leahy (groin) remain doubts. Cristian Magerusan (hamstring) and Ryan Swan (cruciate) are ruled out once more.

It is the last time the sides will meet in the league this season but the home crowd will be hoping the fixture will repeat itself in two weeks’ time, with the winners of Wednesday’s FAI Cup quarter-final between Derry City and Bohs drawn to host John Caulfield’s side on Sunday September 30 in the last four of the competition.

Long said: “We desperately hope that this is not our final game against them this season. But we’re not thinking any further ahead than tomorrow’s game.”

Long and his team have every right to be confident. But it is not in the manager’s make-up to allow himself or his team get ahead of themselves despite their recent form.

He said: “They are champions, we are the underdogs. Cork are a strong, well-organised, talented team with some outstanding players. We will have to play to our maximum to get a result but if we can manage to do that, we know that they are capable.

“It feels like forever since our last home game against Limerick on August 3 but we have had the considerable consolation of winning the five games we have played away from home in the intervening period.

“We have been on a great run of form recently, losing only once way to Dundalk. This run has provided the players with great confidence and belief. Our performances have been really pleasing and we have played some good attacking football.

“But the most impressive aspect has been the players’ focus, determination and attitude towards every game. Being able to pick a settled team has also been very helpful and obviously results have meant changes have been kept to a minimum.”

That was the case until the Gypsies travelled to Scotland last weekend.

The trip to Peterhead, less than an hour outside Aberdeen, brought back memories of Bohs’ breakthrough season 18 years ago when they became the first Irish side to knock a Scottish club out of Europe. That provided the springboard for the club’s first league and cup double in 73 years that season and kicked off the most successful decade – on the field that is – in our history.

Like Roddy Collins’ trailblazers in 2000, Bohs trained on the eve of the game at Cove Rangers’ ground. And there was another link in the opposition dugout too – Peterhead gaffer Jim McInally, briefly manager of Sligo Rovers in 1999, was Collins’ opposition scout ahead of that famous victory against Aberdeen in Pittodrie.

The club is in a different place, the stakes were considerably lower and the victory in Scotland’s north-east less memorable this time around, but it was an enjoyable new experience and an important game in its own right nonetheless.

With such a settled side in recent weeks, it afforded Long the opportunity to reward players who have shone for the club’s U19s and who came from behind to win the Enda McGuill Cup against St Patrick’s Athletic in Richmond Park nine days ago as well as allowing him give others in need of game-time a runout as well.

But it was the only survivor from the starting line-up a week previously, Kevin Devaney, who proved the matchwinner at Balmoor Stadium in a positive performance in which Bohs were never under serious threat and could have won by a greater margin.

Long said: “Modern football is very much a squad game and those who have not been playing regularly recently are as important as those who have been. The motivation within the group is high. The lads have been pushing extremely hard in training, showing great hunger to get back into the team.

“That was demonstrated in Peterhead. We made 10 changes to the team that beat Derry the week previously and the boys who came in put in a terrific shift against unfamiliar opposition who adopted a very direct and abrasive approach to the game.

“We very much deserved to win the game and with a little more composure with our final pass and finishing, we could have won by more.

“It was a good experience for the players and we were able to offer a debut to Robbie McCourt in central midfield along with more valuable first-team experience for Ryan Graydon, Ali Reghba and Andy Lyons, both of whom went directly from Scotland to join the Ireland U19s for Tuesday’s win against Wales.”

That trio will be honoured alongside their Bohs U19 team-mates tomorrow when Craig Sexton’s Enda McGuill champions are paraded on the pitch at half-time.

Long said: “Our 19s team received confirmation of our participation in Europe on the back of winning the league last season and they were at it again last Tuesday in the McGuill Cup.

“For me, they are up there in terms of one of the best underage teams this club has seen. Brilliantly coached by Craig Sexton and his backroom staff, they are a credit to the club.”

Team news

Ryan Masterson (quad) and Danny Grant (bug) will sit this one out. Darragh Leahy (groin) is a doubt. Ryan Swan (cruciate) remains out.