### Match Details
🤝 Ballynahinch v QUB<br>
🗓️ Mon 8 May<br>
⏰ 4.30 pm<br>
🏟️ Kingspan Stadium<br>
🏆 Bank of Ireland Senior Cup<br>
📺 Live on Recast
QUB are the current holders of the Bank of Ireland Senior Cup, having beaten City of Armagh with a strong performance in last season's final.
The match will also take place after the Junior Cup Final between Enniskillen and Ballyclare \[1pm ko\], which will also be streamed on Recast.
### Route to the Final
Semi-Finals
Ballymena 24-29 QUB<br>
Belfast Harlequins 7-38 Ballynahinch
Quarter-Finals
QUB 46-7 Dungannon<br>
Banbridge 31-52 Ballynahinch
### Team Lineups
Ballynahinch
15-9: Ethan Graham; Fergus Jemphrey; Ryan Wilson; Mark Best; Aaron Cairns; Greg Hutley; Conor McKee
1-8: Nacho Caldera; Claytan Milligan; Kyle McCall; James Simpson; Tom Martin; Zac McCall; Reuben Crothers; Bradley Luney (C)
Replacements: Josh Hanlon; Joe Charles; Kyle Gill; Chris Gibson; Jack Milligan
Queen's University Belfast
15-9: Rory Telfer; Michael Orr; Robbie Johnston; Ben Power; Jonny Hunter; Ritchie McMaster; James Wright
1-8: Jack Boal; Alexander Clarke; Matthew Miller; Joe Hopes; Jake McCay; Lorcan McLoughlin; Curtis Pollock; David Whitten (C)
Replacements: Harry Long; Niall Carville; Gary Dillon; Harry Patterson; Ben Heath
### Captain's Notes
"It’s a huge day for the club! I had to watch from the stands in 2020 through injury, so it’s something I’m really looking forward to personally. As a group, we outlined the Senior Cup at the start of the season as a pretty high priority, so it’s great that we have given ourselves the opportunity to achieve one of our goals.
"Speaking to a few people outside our squad, I think we surprised a few people with our AIL performance this season, but as a group we are slightly disappointed we missed out on top 4 and the playoffs. It’s been a really enjoyable year with a great group of players and coaches and I think that’s shown in our performances. Our form towards the end of the season was quite good, beating Terenure, and we were leading Clontarf for 70+ minutes away from home so we’re looking to bring that form into the final.
"I think it goes without saying that Queen's are a fantastic side with quality players across the park. You just have to look at their league finishes across the last number of years to see that they thoroughly deserved to be promoted to 1B. They play pretty expansive, free-flowing rugby within their system so we expect them to really push the width to use their outside backs.
"It’s a huge honour for me to lead the boys at Kingspan Stadium but honestly I haven’t given what to say too much thought! I think the important thing is to make sure the boys enjoy the occasion and trust our systems that Craigers and the coaches have installed over the last couple of seasons.
"Unfortunately, our club captain, Tommy Donnan, is missing the game - but luckily we have 4 former club captains in the squad in Kyle McCall, Zack McCall, James Simpson and Aaron Cairns, so no doubt they’ll be able to lend a hand."
"We are really looking forward to the final. A chance to defend a trophy doesn’t come very often in club rugby and we know how difficult the competition is, especially the with the standard of club rugby in Ulster this year.
"You look at what Armagh were able to achieve over over the past number of Senior Cup competitions it’s hard not to be jealous. So a chance to win it 2 years in a row is exciting, but we know it’ll be a big challenge.
"Last year was tough with how it ended \[missing AIL promotion\] and it’s been great this year to achieve that goal that we’ve been striving toward for such a long time. I think we have deserved it. It’s been a great group and we have worked very hard to get to the stage that we are at.
"I guess it is different to last year, when we had such a low, and we are on such a high at the minute. On the day it doesn’t change really anything we’re going to go out and try and do our best. I still have the hunger to win the Senior Cup and I am sure they boys do as well.
"We were the underdogs last year and I think we are the underdogs this year again. I think the pressure is on Ballynahinch so you know we have just got to go out, enjoy ourselves again, and just see what happens.
"I think it took us time to get our heads around what happened last year. We had a new team this year and some results before Christmas I think reflect that. I think we were putting a lot of pressure on ourselves. I think the key to our success this year has been a drive from the senior players to the maintain a high level of performance and to keep the goal of getting promoted at the forefront. I think the new guys have come and have really worked hard to get on a level where we can compete and where we can play the way Queen's want to play and the results of the end of the year showed that it worked. Can’t fault anybody’s effort. Compared to last year it was more of a Queen's season this year.
"We are used to it being a learning curve before Christmas and then really hitting our stride after Christmas, but I think the work that has gone in the past two years allowed us to always be competitive near the top of the table so when we had that stride, automatic promotion was not a step too far.
"I think ahead of the game I'll say to the boys to go out and enjoy yourself as it’s not very often you get the chance to play at Kingspan Stadium. Enjoy the atmosphere and get the mindset to work hard. Don’t be nervous - we are the underdogs so just go out, get stuck in and see what happens."