'These are the games you want to be in' - Limerick Sport Eagles Head Coach Niall McDermott

LIMERICK Sport Eagles Head Coach Niall McDermott says spirits are as his side gear up for a Domino' Men's Division One quarter-final clash with Dublin's Tolka Rovers this weekend.

The Eagles have had an impressive season to date, securing top spot in the Southern Conference as well as claiming National Cup honours earlier this year.

Head Coach McDermott says the management team are very happy with the team's progress this season.

"So far we're very happy. We are top of our conference, which would mean a home quarter and semi-final if we proceed, and we've won the cup.

"Our focus going into the season was to continuously improve and develop young players to become a cohesive team. Along the way our objective would have been to be as high a seed as possible for the play-off and we're going into the play-offs as top seed.

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Derry native McDermott says whilst he's happy to have secured top spot in the Southern Conference, he admits regular season finishes can oftentimes be disregarded when it comes to the play-offs. 

"Our regular season has been a success but whenever it gets to the play-offs, there's been times over the years where teams have finished fourth and have gone all the way to the finals.

"Regular season form is great and it but you've got to show up and win three games in-a-row if you want to achieve the ultimate aim.

"It's just about taking those lessons we've learned throughout the season and trying to maximise our strengths and improve on our weaknesses, try to carry that into the play-offs."

McDermott and co. will be wary of the Tolka threat on Saturday. The Dublin-based side got the better of the Eagles in the pairs only other meeting this season at the University of Limerick. 

"We've played Tolka once this year and they beat us, they shot the absolute lights out in UL, they had a phenomenal game but I think we've improved a lot since then, as have they. 

McDermott attributes a lot of his side's success this season to taking each contest game by game, week by week.

The Eagles Head Coach admits that things in basketball can be 'outside of your control' but by focusing on the things you can control, that it can give a team the chance to be successful. 

"The top of the division has been very tight this year. You'd be a brave person to try and predict who was going to come out on top.

"Every game we play, we just focus on what's in front of us because I've seen it so many time down the years when the top seeds goes out in the first round, we just have to prepare as best as possible. 

"It's a cliché but every game now is a cup final, you win that game and you progress and if you lose, you're out, it's as simple as that.

"Sometimes things in basketball are outside you're control. Sometimes you just can't make a shot or you don't have a great day so what we try to do is focus the things that we can control like our energy, our preparation, everything like that.

"Once we're in the game we just try to stick to our game plan as best as possible, execute what we think is going to give us the best chance of winning in that game and hopefully the shots fall for us.

"We've put a big focus on our defence in the second half of the year, I think we're one of the best defensive teams in the league and that's going to be key for us.

McDermott says play-off season gives the team and everyone involved 'a renewed sense of focus.'

"It's a long season and we have guys who have commitments to other sports, guys who play GAA and college basketball so it's a long gruelling season when we have guys playing multiple sports but now once the play-offs are approaching it gives everyone a renewed sense of focus.

The Eagles Head Coach says that there is both feelings of excitement and pressure that come with these type of games but states that these feelings are a privilege. 

"Everyone is locked in and everyone is doing their best to get their body in the best possible condition for that first game. A lot of excitement comes with it too, everyone wants to play in the big games. 

"It's a pressure but it's a privilege at the same time. These are the games you want to be in, we're delighted to be here."

The Limerick Sport Eagles take on Tolka Rovers at the UL Arena on Saturday at 7pm.