Preview: Three of the last four winners remain as Domino’s Men’s Super League Playoff Semi-Finals begin

Ballincollig's head coach Ciaran O'Sullivan believes his side  have "no margin for error" if they're to make it back to the Domino's Men's Super League decider for the first time since lifting the title three years ago. 

The Cork side welcome Griffith College Éanna to MTU Arena on Saturday afternoon with the prospect of a shot at a first ever top-flight double on the line, as they try and back up a memorable night at the National Basketball Arena in January which saw them crowned Pat Duffy National Cup champions. The visitors will not be short of confidence though. Éanna are playing in their third semi-final in four seasons and the nucleus of their 2024 winning side - Neil Lynch, James Gormley, Stefan Desnica and Kristijan Andabaka - remain key cogs in their current evolution. 

Both their regular season meetings were close encounters. Ballincollig came out on the right side on each occassion, but an aggregate winning margin of 10 points shows that Griffith College Éanna are capable of turning the tables when the stakes are highest. Éanna's addition of Jaylyn Richardson late in the season has created a fresh matchup problem since the sides last clashed in February and in his one game against O'Sullivan's outfit in the colours of St. Vincent's, Richardson hit 36 points on 13/20 shooting, including 63% from the three point line, so expect Steel or Jossell to try and run him off that mark early. 

Speaking on Éanna, O’Sullivan said “ They've had an excellent campaign. They boast a great mix of youth and experience, with many members of their 2024 Super League winning team still in the squad and leading this group. No strangers to the big stage, they have been in outstanding form lately, winning five of their last six games since adding Jaylyn Richardson. Nothing short of our very best performance will be enough if we want to reach the final”.

We're down to the Domino's Men's Super League and Division One Final4️⃣

Which teams will make it to Finals Weekend at the National Basketball Arena?#DominosSL | #IrishBasketball pic.twitter.com/OPuJUSVgeg

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) March 25, 2026

No side has consistently found an answer to combatting the trio of Latavious Mitchell, Josh Steel and Latrell Jossell. Of Ballincollig's five losses - two have come in their opening two games as the players adjusted to a new system and two have been with one of Mitchell and Jossell missing. That is the task facing Gareth Winders and Éanna from 4pm on Saturday. James Gormley will need to match Mitchell's prowess on the boards and Éanna's interior defence is going to have to be of a high level to allow their shooters a chance to build some scoreboard pressure on the home side. 

Winders said “ We are looking forward to Saturdays semi-final. The players know the challenge that awaits us. With playoffs, you never know what to expect, you have to be ready to play. We are definitely ready”.

Griffith College Éanna and Belfast Star in Saturday's second semi-final are bidding to overturn a developing trend in Irish basketball. Home sides are 10-0 since the beginning of the playoffs last season and only five teams have won a knockout game on the road in the last five seasons. Statistics such as that will have little consequence to Killester head coach Jonny Grennell. The defending champions are 2-0 against Belfast Star, but Grennell doesn't think that has any relevence when it comes to playoff basketball. 

“ I don’t think the league games factor into either teams thing this weekend. Star were only a couple of shots away from finishing first outright, so the margins are razor thin. Neither team needs extra motivation on Saturday and whoever wins, will be deserving of their place in the final. It’ll be our toughest 40 minutes of the season to date for sure”.

It would appear Killester's starters are hitting top gear in the perfect moment. Josh Wilson, Paul Dick and Robert Braswell IV have all found their scoring touch in the last thee games in particular - with the trio averaging over 55 points per game in that stretch. In contrast - Belfast Star have been on the wrong side of the injury bug since Christmas. Rapolas Buivydas has been playing through a leg issue and his contribution has been hindered by that, while the loss of the excellent Shane Bell for the season to a medical issue has meant a big mid-season adjustment for Adrian Fulton. 

Shane Dezonie has settled in well though and brings a different threat at the point of attack to Bell, albeit both allow better looks for Conor and Aidan Quinn in their ability to get to the basket and draw help defenders. Four of Star's six losses have come on the road and though their record away from Newforge reads 7-4, five of those wins came against the bottom five teams in the Domino's Men's Super League. 

The stats say road teams have been up against it in the men's playoffs in recent times 📉

◾️A road team hasn't won a playoff game in the Domino's Men's Super League since Éanna in 2024. #DominoSL | #IrishBasketball pic.twitter.com/JzSxOCgtxV

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) March 25, 2026

When asked about recent games against Killester, Fulton said “ We don’t need any extra incentive to perform well against Killester. Getting to the final and having a chance to play for the title is incentive enough. We didn’t get too close to them in either game this season. They played harder, were tougher and shot the ball well so we could have no complaints in either game”.

Speaking on Killester as a team, Fulton continued “ They are a very talented and well-coached team. So we will go into the game as favourites. But it is the playoffs and anything can happen”.

It is fitting that the race for the Domino's Men's Super League has come down to the four teams who posted a winning record during the regular season - and that we have three of the last four winners in the final four also adds intrigue to a genuine feeling that any of the remaining teams can win the title at the National Basketball Arena in three weeks' time. 

The Domino’s Men’s Division One semi-finals will also take place this Saturday, which sees Maree host Titans after Titans upset league leaders Dublin Lions in he quarter-finals last weekend. In the other semi-final, it is a rematch of the Domino’s MD1 National Cup final as Limerick Sport Eagles take on Drogheda Wolves for a potential place in the final, and a shot at earning promotion to the Domino’s Men’s Super League.

All of the semi-finals will be broadcast live this weekend on BITV.