Chris Parker’s Armagh looking up off losing bonus point

It was a strange day last Saturday as the top three in the division all suffered defeats.

Armagh picked up a losing bonus point at Old Wesley and were able to extend their advantage at the summit.

“We’ll know a lot more in two weeks of it was important (losing bonus point) or not,” said Armagh head coach Chris Parker. “I think everyone was heads down when we went in and a bit disappointed in our own performance and maybe let ourselves down a bit then we heard the other results and realised this is a big point that extended the lead and have to make it count.

“We’ll just learn from that and move on, certainly we know we are capable of better and we have been training hard this week to make sure we produce a better performance than we did last week.

“I think the lads picked themselves up really quickly and realised our next game is at home, it is our last home game of the year so we have to pitch up and do ourselves proud.”

Armagh host eighth-placed UCC, who could still be dragged into the relegation battle.

“You can’t take anything for granted and I think you don’t want to face a student side that move the ball about at the start or end of the season...you want to be facing them on the heavy pitches at Christmas,” he said. “They are very dangerous, they are scoring a lot of points, they scored 70 points in their last two games.

“We are expecting a difficult challenge with how they are going to the move the ball and try to stretch us.

“The dry pitches will suit them and how they try to play rugby.”

​​Two wins – over eighth-placed Old Crescent and basement club Dolphin - in their remaining fixtures will see Queen’s promoted to Division 1B of the All Ireland League for the first time in their illustrious history.

The students are two points clear at the top of Division 2A and, after the disappointment of topping the league by 14 points last year and missing out of promotion as only one side went up via the playoffs, Queen’s captain David Whitten is determined to make it to the second tier this time.

“Yes (last year) it still fuels us, we have been chasing to try and get Queen’s up for a long time...the goal is still there,” he said. “And it is the idea of getting us promoted that fuels us the most so, hopefully, that kicks in for the last two games and we can get over the line.

“It took me a while to get my head around it was a hard one to take but I think it was important to leave it behind us and realise this is a new start and a new team.

“We can be the ones to drive this team forward and get ourselves back into an opportunity like last year and I think we have done that.

“A lot of the senior guys have really put their hands up and been leaders, especially this side of Christmas and especially after the UL Boh’s loss and it has been good to see that development.

“The character that we have shown, especially with a couple of younger guys coming into the side this year, has been fantastic and it is starting to really tell.

“Even though we are playing eighth and last we can’t underestimate them and especially Old Crescent, they have got progressively better throughout the year so it will be a good game.

“We need to have the right mindset to make sure we can drive this home.”

Queen’s made a statement of intent last week with a 57-10 nine-try dismantling of Barnhall.

“We were really good against Barnhall in attack, I think we just got our tempo right and when that happens we are very good and things start to stick for us,” he said. “I thought all of the boys put in good performances as a team we looked really good and it was a good team performance.

“It is definitely going to be a challenge so it is just about mindset and playing with that tempo that we are chasing and then, hopefully, we come out on the right side.”

Other fixtures of note across the AIL programme include Malone have Angus Curtis, Aaron Sexton and Declan Moore in the starting line-up for the visit of St Mary’s.

Ballynahinch visit Shannon and Ballymena travel to Navan.

Banbridge travel to Old Belvedere.

Dungannon host Greystones and Belfast Harlequins face Rainey.

Instonians host Skerries, Bangor are at Ballina and Omagh travel to Clonmel.