It is the fifth year running that the defending champions have been in the play-offs, but the first time ever for Connacht.
Speaking in the Evening Times, Pat said: “Hopefully that experience, of being in the final twice as well, will help us. Knowing how we should be feeling, how we should be dealing with it, and how best to use that feeling.
“There is a big, passionate crowd [at the Sportsground], but sometimes that spurs you on as well. We had a great Glasgow following that we’ll get again.”
Warriors can't afford a repeat of the indiscipline that cost them dear on their previous trip to Galway earlier this month. Head coach Gregor Townsend has stressed the importance of what he has called emotional control, and Pat says maintaining composure will be vital.
“The boys just tried too hard on occasions,” he said of that loss. “That’s the best way to put it. We have to understand that we push ourselves to the limit, but not over that. That’s where that control has to come.
“When Gregor talks about emotional control, he knows how much it means to us every game. And he’s trying to say use it to our advantage rather than distract us from what we’ve been planning.”
After his red card in Galway, Sila Puafisi was given a three-week suspension and will miss Saturday's game. “He’s a passionate, big man,” Pat continued. "When he spoke to the boys he was down.
“He said he was gutted that he had put the rest of us under pressure. That was his main message. He said he would work his hardest to make it up to us all.
“He said he would do his best in the scrum sessions. He knows that’s where he can help, because he can’t play - that’s where he’ll give his all. That’s how our team work. The boys not selected give their all to push the starting boys.”