Keith Long is determined not to let his FAI Cup final ban "consume" his and Bohemians' showpiece appearance at The Aviva on Sunday.
The Gypsies' manager saw red along with Shamrock Rovers' boss Stephen Bradley during Bohs' recent 3-1 league win against their fierce rivals.
The timing could not have been worse for Long who now misses the Dublin derby with St Patrick's Athletic due to the one-match suspensions dished out to him and Bradley.
Bradley missed The Hoops' Blue Riband final defeat by Dundalk 12 months ago when he served the final game of a three-match ban and Long is keen that his absence from the dugout won't derail his plans for Bohs to claim an eighth cup success.
“It’s not something I’ve overly thought about or let consume my thoughts," explained Long.
"You think about the work you’ve done to get to this point…I just try to look at it in a positive light as a different way of watching the game, a different experience.
"It’s my first FAI Cup final as a manager or a player so it’s going to be a different experience anyway.
"It’s just slightly different, the team prep, everything will be geared towards the performance on Sunday.
"It’s about players putting in a performance, it’s not about me being suspended or watching the game from a different part of the ground."
Under the terms of managerial suspensions, Long must exit his side's dressing room one hour before the 4pm kick-off and have no contact with his players or staff until 60 minutes after the game ends.
This latter aspect of the penalty brought a wry smile to Long's face when it was suggested that it would be a nice problem to have if the Phibsboro club wins the famous trophy for the first time since 2008.
“Eh, yes, if you’re going to comply, they’re the rules you have to follow.
"I’m in this position for a reason so I’m not really concerned about any of that stuff. That would be a brilliant problem to have.
"All I’m concerned about is the team turn up on Sunday, that they get ready this week and they’re looking forward to this weekend, and they are, and grasping the opportunity they have.
"You’ve got to look at it and try and put a positive on it from my own perspective.
“I’ll watch the game from a different vantage point on Sunday and maybe, in many different ways, it could be an advantage because you’re looking at the game from a different perspective, different lens, so we’ve got to try to use that to our advantage if we can.
“Obviously, I’ve got a very experienced backroom team, Trevor Croly will lead the team on Sunday from the line, Derek Pender will come onto the bench, along with the rest of the backroom and technical staff that would be on the bench.
“From that regard, I don’t really see me being suspended as a huge detriment to the team.
"In fact, I think if you look at it with a different lens we can put a positive on it and use it to our advantage - the elevated view we’ll see the game from and maybe some of the replays and some of the technology that we’ll have in the room."
Bohs received a timely boost on Friday when the Premier Division's leading scorer, Georgie Kelly, returned to action from the bench in the draw at Sligo Rovers to find the net, bringing his league tally for the season to 21 goals and 26 in all competitions.
The goal machine's calf injury sustained a month ago against Waterford threatened to rule him out of the decider but intensive work by the Bohs' medical staff ensured that the striker will be fit to lead the attack.
The good news on the fitness front extends to midfielder Stephen Mallon who also made his comeback at The Showgrounds after spending most of the season on the sideline following a nasty metatarsal injury.
" It didn’t look good on Georgie initially, it was always going to be touch and go. To be fair, it probably still is a little bit.
"He got some minutes on Friday, came on and scored a goal and did really well for the 15 minutes he was on the pitch. That gives us a little bit more confidence.
"He’s been training. He’s ahead of schedule, there’s no doubt about that, in terms of the initial prognosis, on the injury.
“Obviously Georgie has been our talisman this season, he’s got 20-odd goals, he’s been brilliant, he’s a great, great guy, he’s a really decent fellow.
"And I’m delighted for Georgie that he’s got the goals we felt he could get at the club this year and hopefully he has saved a little bit for Sunday at some point."
Meanwhile, Bohs' players will spend Saturday night at home before gathering at a northside Dublin hotel on Sunday morning before making the short journey to The Aviva.
In contrast, The Saints will overnight at a city hotel prior to the showpiece occasion.
The Gypsies are officially the home club but will wear a change strip of white shirts and maroon shorts for the game.
St Pats will also take to the pitch in a different strip, decked in a kit that features dark blue jerseys.
It's believed that both clubs were happy to wear their traditional colours but the referees and the FAI sought the change to ensure that there would be no potential colour clash.
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