Kennedy scored the killer third against Alloa to make sure the Doonhamers kept their play-off hopes alive. They are now only two points off Alloa with seven games remaining.
This was Kennedy’s first start for the Dumfries club since suffering a hamstring injury against Andy Graham’s men in November.
And he hopes his return and this result – which was a must-win for Queens – can boost the team’s confidence going into the final seven matches of the campaign.
The 22-year-old said: “I’m delighted for the team as it’s been a difficult few weeks. I think today we showed what type of team we can be.
“These last seven games are massive, the play-off spots are where we want to be.
“We have to be realistic, we’re not going to win the league. That’s just the reality and all the boys know that. There’s still that opportunity to go up.
“That’s the big thing for us to get into the top four. We’ve got seven cup finals and that’s what we’ve got to look at.
“In the changing room up at Cove last week we had a discussion after the game.
“We had lost six of the last seven games, we’re a full time club with talented players in the team so that should never happen. This week in training the standards have gone up.
“We have seven games left and we’ve got to make sure we go into them games and win them.”
The Doonhamers take on a dead and buried Dumbarton side at the Rock on Saturday. If Queens can pick up their second league victory of the season then that will mean Stevie Farrell’s men will be relegated.
But Kennedy has called for himself and his teammates to be up for a tough struggle against the League One basement boys.
He said: “Dumbarton away is going to be different. The pitch isn’t great and it’s going to be a battle. I think that’s where we’ve struggled at times this season.
“Away from home we’ve been nothing but terrible, we can’t shy away from that. But we showed we can battle away at Montrose and that’s what we need to do.
“We’re going to have to roll our sleeves up and battle because it’s not going to be nicey nicey.
“The Alloa win was great but it’s only three points. We’ve got big games coming up. We need to move on and keep going.”
It has been a difficult and punishing journey for Kennedy on the sidelines for the last few months. But he admits all he’s concentrated on has been getting back onto the field and making a difference.
He added: “I’m delighted to be back playing. That’s been the longest time I’ve been out for. To get a goal and an assist in my first start back after five months is amazing. I’ve worked hard over the last 20 weeks.
“There’s been tough times. When I did it, I was absolutely gutted because as a player there’s nothing worse than sitting in the stands.
“In the past, I have lost the head when I got injured but this time I really focused and worked so hard to get back.
“I did all the right things. People say if you put the hard work in it pays off; I think Saturday showed that.
“That’s me back, I’m starting and to top it off with a goal. Just before I got injured I thought I was playing quite well.
Now I’ve worked so hard to get back, it’s important to play my part now.
“I knew straight away in that game against Alloa that I was done but I had to play on until half time.
“I said in the car down on Saturday what are the chances that I would make my first start against the team I injured myself against!”
Meanwhile, Queens boss Peter Murphy has updated fans about their current injury crisis. Brennan Dickenson will be out for the season — and the early stages of next — with a hip flexor injury.
But captain Matty Douglas is improving after surgery and is ahead of schedule, whilst Mikey Hewitt is three-to-four weeks away and Jack Brydon is still struggling with a foot injury.
