National League

Mar 19 2026

Preview: Teams get set for Domino’s Men’s Super League playoff quarter-finals and relegation playoff

Ballincollig player/coach Ciaran O’Sullivan has warned upcoming Domino’s Men’s Super League quarter-final playoff opponents Limerick Celtics are “a serious threat with undeniable chemistry”. His side secured the number one seed on the final weekend of the regular season, following a double overtime victory over Belfast Star last Saturday, while their opponents earned a playoff spot in their first ever season in the Domino’s Men’s Super League.

It was a league victory apiece during the regular season, Celtics opened their season with a one-point win on the buzzer over Ballincollig, while the Cork side got revenge in December with their own six-point triumph back in the MTU Arena. They also met in the semi-finals of the Domino’s MSL National Cup, where Ballincollig edged it 70-67, on their way to claiming their inaugural Pat Duffy Cup title.

 Adrian O'Sullivan of Ballincollig, who welcome Limerick Celtics in the Domino's Men's Super League Playoffs this Saturday.

Ballincollig player/coach, Ciarain O‘Sullivan, said: “Playoff basketball - that’s the goal from day one of pre-season, and it’s what keeps the fire burning all year. We’re thrilled to still be right in the hunt, playing high-stakes games as we head into late March.

“Our matchups with Limerick Celtics this year have been nothing short of intense and tightly contested. They are a serious threat with undeniable chemistry, a group that has already proven their worth by reaching the Pat Duffy Cup semi-finals and securing a playoff spot in their debut Super League season. We know exactly what’s waiting for us this Saturday at MTU Arena. It’s going to be another battle, and it will likely come down to the finest of margins.

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Killester managed to edge their way into a top-two finish, Belfast Star’s loss combined with the Dublin side’s win over EJ Sligo All-Stars secured the second seed in the table, which means they have a home quarter-final and a home semi-final, should they progress to that stage. This weekend, Killester welcome St. Vincent’s to the IWA on Saturday evening. St. Vincent’s won’t have Michael Olson on the sidelines, he exited club prior to the playoffs, but Killester coach Jonathan Grennell remains wary of the threat posed this weekend in the Dublin derby.

Grennell said: “Losing Coach Olson won’t change our approach. He has built a very good team that will show up and play for him whether he is physically there or not. The playoffs always throw up some surprises and we are determined not to be one this weekend”.

Belfast Star fell from the summit of the table to third place in the space of two weeks, after losing their last two games of the regular season to Ballincollig and Killester. They host UCD Marian on Saturday after Marian also slipped to sixth after being overtaken by Garvey’s Tralee Warriors for fifth spot. Star coach Adrian Fulton is expecting a tight matchup on Sunday.

Fulton said “ Both games against UCD this season have been games where they are probably wondering how they didn’t come out on top. There has been very little between the two teams and I’m sure it will be another close one on Sunday.:”

Asked about Star’s end to the season, Fulton added: “ We lost another close one to Ballincollig on Saturday. In a game that certainly could have gone either way, they made a couple more plays than we did over the course of the game and executed when it mattered”.

UCD Marian head coach Ioannis Liapakis has confirmed that after the gruelling double overtime thriller against Energywise Ireland Neptune last weekend, American Bruce Saintilus is out for the rest of the season, as is Sean O’Flynn, due to injury.

Liapakis said “ We are extremely happy for making the playoffs for a second year in a row, when our goal was to avoid relegation. Last weekend was a very painful one for a few reasons. Firstly, the way we lost because we finished sixth instead of fifth and then more importantly, our American Bruce Saintilus and Sean O’Flynn were injured badly and they’re out for the playoffs. Regarding Sunday’s game against Belfast, it will be extremely difficult especially without our first scorer, but for sure we are not willing to give up, so we are going to fight as hard as we can and we hope for the best”.

Griffith College Éanna play Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in their quarter-final this weekend in a rematch of their final game of the season where Éanna ran out 92-66 victors. Éanna have emerged as one of the in-form teams heading into the playoffs, winning four of the last five games. For Warriors, they have had a slightly tougher run-in for the end of the season, winning just one of their last four. Éanna coach Gareth Winders isn’t looking at the form table ahead of the playoffs.

Winders said “The regular season is now over and we finished our campaign strong. However, the playoffs are different and anything can happen, you just have to be ready to play the team in front of you”.

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Limerick plays host to the Domino’s Men’s Super relegation playoff between Energywise Ireland Neptune and Flexachem KCYMS, it’s at 3pm on Sunday in UL Arena. Both sides picked up wins against playoff candidates in the final weekend to take it to a playoff, Killorglin had a gutsy victory over Limerick Celtics, whilst Neptune won a thrilling double overtime win over UCD Marian.

Domino’s Men’s Super League Playoff Quarter-Finals

Saturday 21^st March

QF1- Ballincollig (1) v Limerick Celtics (8), MTU Arena, 1600

QF2- Griffith College Éanna (4) v Garvey's Tralee Warriors (5), Coláiste Éanna, 1900

QF3- Killester (2) v St. Vincent's (7), IWA Clontarf, 2015

Sunday 22^nd March

QF4- Belfast Star (3) v UCD Marian (6), Newforge, 1300

Domino’s Men’s Super League Relegation Playoff

Sunday 22^nd March

Flexachem KCYMS v Energywise Ireland Neptune, 1500

Domino’s Men’s Division One Playoff Quarter-Finals

Saturday, 21st March