'The year as a whole has been very good' - Limerick Celtics' Jordan Hehir

THE Limerick Celtics Men's side are enjoying a positive return to the Domino's Men's Super League, according to their shooting guard Jordan Hehir. 

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The Celtics had some early season heartbreak when key player Austin Rotroff suffered an MCL injury but the Limerick side have recovered well. 

"I think we're doing well. Obviously losing Austin Rotroff was tough and it took us a week or two to figure that out. Our results in that time probably reflected that but the year as a whole has been very good. 

"We've been in nearly every single game and I think the league is so balanced from first to twelfth, that anyone on any given night can go out and get a win against anybody, I think the table reflects that. There's a middle pack in the table where two wins separate third right through to twelfth."

Hehir says that although this season has been challenging on his side at times, there is a great sense of belief in the squad.

"This season has been tough on us at times with things like losing on the buzzer twice and if those results go a different way, it does create that cushion in terms of safety from the relegation side of things but we have the belief. That kind of stuff isn't on our mind, we're taking it game by game and try and pick up those few wins in a row that would make the league table a whole different story altogether. 

Hehir says playing Super League basketball this season has been a goal of the squad for quite some time.

"It was a goal we we're building towards, as it came to the business end of last season. We were training towards the end of last year with the goal in mind that we would be playing Super League basketball the following season. We would have loved to finish the season undefeated but we got the job done in terms of promotion. 

"We started back a little later this year but we got stuck into it straight away. We have a great sense of cohesion at the moment. Bringing back the likes of Abdul and AJ who are some of the best players in the league, has been brilliant.

"They're unbelievably talented but their drive and determination is on a level par with everyone on the team, it's a really determined group. That drive to want to stay up, we're lucky to have that and we're lucky to have a home court advantage because we're a team that thrives off of the energy of a home crowd."

Outside of matters in the league, Hehir and his teammates have a Domino's Super League National Cup semi-final to look forward to next month, when they travel to MTU to face Ballincollig.

The Celtics did manage a one-point win over their Munster rivals on opening night this season but Hehir stresses that the cup semi-final will be a completely different game. 

"We're looking forward to it but it will be a different game from the first night of the season. Ballincollig have gone from strength to strength every week since then. We play them in the league the week before so that'll make it interesting to see who can get it done two weeks in a row or who can get the cup victory bouncing back from either a victory or loss the week before so it'll definitely be interesting.

"The cup is so hyped up in Ireland. It's different to the league and it's the chance to have bragging rights mid-season. The league is very long winded and it's week-to-week but to win the cup you have to put together four perfect weeks.

"Four games where you perform to your best ability and to outwork four other teams when it matters most and we're just really looking forward to it."