Queen's captain David Whitten hoping huge result can help inspire his side to All-Ireland promotion

Last season the students topped the table by 14 points but with no automatic promotion due to Covid, they lost the play-off final and didn’t go up.

Captain David Whitten knows three more wins will see the club play in All-Ireland Division 1B for the first time next season and is hoping the Blackrock result will inspire the team.

“All credit to the lads we fairly stuck in getting two yellow cards and being 24-7 down,” he said. “I think we showed really character to come back.

“It is something that we have been chasing to have that character and it is good to see it starting to come through.

“It is good to see our fitness telling and our attack telling, and I was very pleased all in all with it.

“I think we knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as it was last year and it was about staying in the fight and that was something that Suff (coach Derek Suffern) has always said to us and I think we really have after Christmas.

“We have stuck in there and it’s a good position to be in with three games to go and two are home. It sounds nice on paper but all three are tough games.

“We have just got to get our heads in the right place and not play the occasion and just play the match and see where we are by 4pm in Dolphin (last game).”

Fourth place Barnhall visit the Dub on Saturday.

“All credit to Barnhall they have fairly come into it after having a hard start and they really kicked on around Christmas,” added Whitten. “It’s a good team and a good club.

“I think it will be a good game with two teams that try to play rugby and throw the ball around a bit. I think it will be a good one to come and watch.

“It would be very good to get the win. I think it is one of those games that can go either way and it is about who turns up on the day.”

Ballymena host UL Boh’s while in Division 2B Rainey host Sligo, Belfast Harlequins travel to Galwegians and Dungannon visit Wanderers.

In Division 2C, already promoted Instonians visit Bangor and Omagh host Midleton.