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'Big-time' Madigan on his clutch kick and feeling loved in Ulster

Ulster’s Mr Saturday Night talks through his process for a dramatic winner to set up a Pro14 final against his native province.

jacob-stockdale-celebrates-ian-madigan-kicking-the-winning-penalty-with-the-last-kick-of-the-game Jacob Stockdale celebrates the winner. Craig Watson / INPHO Craig Watson / INPHO / INPHO

IAN MADIGAN’S EYES light up a little brighter when Dan McFarland’s weekend description of him is relayed back.

‘Big-time’.

There is a tinge of self-consciousness to the smile he gives on hearing the praise, mostly  due to the supposed secret being out. No hiding his light under a bushel after that.

You imagine Madigan’s eyes light up in the exact same way when a 45-metre penalty comes his way. A chance to deliver a highlight reel moment that players ordinarily have to wait at least half a season at a club for.

The clock was red by the time the 31-year-old had set the ball and himself; hunkering down, pitching his shoulders forward and exhaling a long anchoring breath.

While many have lauded his willingness to run as an out-half or cover centre and fullback, it’s Madigan’s goal-kicking that have always been his star quality. And the enduring effectiveness of that purposeful motion shone through from the empty Edinburgh Stadium as unleashed his shot at the winner. Just low enough to escape any Edinburgh breeze, just high enough to clear the bar and make Ulster just the second team to win an away semi-final in the Pro12 or Pro14.

For Madigan, it was a pyrotechnic display to signal his return to Irish rugby after a difficult stint abroad.

“I don’t really have any demons from the last 18 months,” he said on Monday, “because I still think I’ve been true to myself in how I’ve gone about my training and getting my mind and my body right to hit the ground running with Ulster.

“At the same time, it was a period that went quite slowly for me. I’m very lucky,” he says as he goes on to acknowledge support from his loved ones.

“Dan (McFarland) is big on the psychological side and he’s been great at building my confidence up and ensuring I fit into the squad really quickly. The player group have been fantastic, I felt like I’d settled in after a couple of days, and then after a couple of weeks I felt like I’d built good friendships up.

“Before I hit the kick, Al O’Connor was captain and he told me he loved me which was a nice touch. I only know him a couple of weeks.”

ian-madigan-celebrates-kicking-the-winning-penalty-with-teammates-with-the-last-kick-of-the-game Craig Watson / INPHO Craig Watson / INPHO / INPHO

While hailing McFarland’s ability to pull the right psychological strings for players, Madigan also notes his ability to delegate. So skills coach Dan Soper gets passed a slap on the back as Madigan recounts his clutch semi-final kick for glory.

“You just want to stick to your process. Dan Soper is great for manufacturing (pressure situations) in training, pitting us against each other and trying to manufacture match situations.

“For us as kickers, being able to replicate the kicking technique we’re using in training in games is ultimately what you want to be doing. The big part of goal-kicking is your thought process and clearing your mind of negative thoughts and trying to narrow it down to focusing on what’s important.

For me, that’s keeping my toe pointed down, sweeping through the ball and a long follow-through – I’m just saying that over and over in my head.”

“When Dan comes on with the tee, he’s very like a caddy in golf, there’s a lot of interaction there, he’ll give you a drop of water and then it’s about picking your line.

“I hit a bit of a draw off the tee, so it goes out to my right and then works its way back in.”

ian-madigan-converts-the-final-kick-of-the-game-to-win Ian Rutherford / INPHO Ian Rutherford / INPHO / INPHO

And just like that, all those far-from-glamourous extra midweek kicking sessions in all weather bring him the chance to be Mr. Saturday Night.

About that ‘big-time’ moniker, Ian?

“Aw, I dunno!

“The big reason why we play the game is to be put in those big pressure situations. I do enjoy it. I think sometimes I question why I do it to myself, but it’s pretty rewarding when it goes over, it’s exhilarating.

“You put a lot of work in. It probably hasn’t been the easiest 18 months for me, but, look, you just graft away and when it comes good for you, I think it’s extra sweet.”

If that was sweet, there’ll be a bulk order of insulin needed if he manages to repeat the feat against Leinster in Saturday’s Pro14 final.

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    Mute Etherman
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:13 AM

    Dublin would have been perfect. No problem for the athletes sourcing drugs.

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    Mute windbag
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:50 AM

    The Olympics in Dublin……. Hahahahaha…..

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:56 AM

    Can’t get 6 Garth Brooks concerts sorted but can do the Olympics?? Yeah…..nah.

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    Mute Free comment ratings
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    Jul 30th 2016, 6:18 PM

    Haha brilliant. No other city had drugs problems. That’s why it’s so funny

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    Mute The Dublin Cynic
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:52 AM

    Would have got it if we had included a decent bribes committee

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    Mute phil
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:36 AM

    Here we go again the auld Irish attitude laughng at such a bid. We have some marvelous rivers that would be brilliant for the canoeing. Brilliant golf courses. We have an 85,000 capacity stadium for track and field. We have the Aviva for the soccer, I am sure one of our many 30,000 + GAA Stadia could be used for sevens rugby. The 3 Arena for boxing. The list goes on. We could and we should be hosting an Olympics, World Cup and Euros.

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    Mute john
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:16 PM

    Where is this 85,000 seat track and field stadium?!! Because croagh park doesn’t have a track last time I looked.

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    Mute fiachra29
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:18 PM

    I do think holding the Olympics would be a stretch too far for a country of 4.6 million, however at the same time we do seriously need to shake off the small town attitude we have. Any badly needed major infrastructure project is often met with laughs of “ah shur what do we need that for you’d swear we’re all living in New York” or something along those lines.

    Perhaps holding the Rugby World Cup would be a very achievable aim that would help people become a little bit more ambitious about the development of this country.

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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jul 30th 2016, 1:31 PM

    Yes and where were we going to get the money for revamping crokepark and the other stadiums? The Olympic village would be a bit of a problem don’t you think and families homeless? Not too mention the money that would have to be spent on public transport and infastruture in order to be even considered.

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    Mute Tony Doyle
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    Jul 30th 2016, 2:36 PM

    And plenty of turnstiles for the hurdle races

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    Mute Tony Doyle
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    Jul 30th 2016, 2:45 PM

    Don’t we have every nationality living in Dublin
    Just organize them

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    Mute Ruadhán MacEoin
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    Jul 30th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Just alone regarding Croke Park:

    Despite now being Europe’s 3rd largest stadium and sandwiched between two railway lines, it does not have even one railway station.

    Moreover, a railway station was supposed to be provided when the stadium was redeveloped.

    Yet strangely, when the GAA redeveloped above the railway tracks a few years ago, the station was never built – but CIE got two corporate boxes for heart own private use.

    Now the GAA are baffled as to why the natives object when events such as concerts are proposed, yet all the while, the main and most obvious problem is movement of people – i.e. a transport issue.

    If those in authority are too arrogant or oblivious so as to provide such obvious facilities – where infrastructure is already present regarding one stadium – it can only be considered a great blessing that Dublin was not burdened with further incompetence that would have happened with Olympics.

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    Mute Alan Cooke
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    Jul 30th 2016, 5:44 PM

    Engage brain before posting Phil. The article says back in the early 90′s we had no infrastructure. Most of the golf courses you refer to along with croke park the aviva the national aquatic centre were not built. Gay Mitchell was a gob sh**e back then and still is. Thankfully the people saw that when he went for president. Again I point out we had nothing as CJ had spent everything and hived it off for himself and his cronies.

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    Mute Dotrice Altrium Hollohatch
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:14 AM

    It would’ve been our best chance at getting GAA into the Olympics…

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    Mute The Oracle of Delphi
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:20 AM

    Yes. We could’ve competed against ourselves. Guaranteed gold.

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:22 AM

    The Aussies would probably beat us in the football though

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    Mute Motherofdivinejebus
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:15 AM

    Poor old DOB would have made an absolute fortune in renting out his barriers – I bet you he is still wringing his hands and crying into his brandy over missing out.

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    Mute Bleep12345
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:19 AM

    That feasibility study must have cost a bit.

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    Mute Paddy Colreavy
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:27 AM

    We couldn’t hold a Web summit

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    Mute Patrick Lawlor
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:13 AM

    With the politicians in Ireland they would be off and running with all Comercial profits before the competition even started. A joke, the whole concept in the banans republic that the Irish politicians have shafted to their own gain going back to De Valera’s time. Tony Gregory was the last true Irish politician with integrity but then he didn’t have much competition

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    Mute NO 2 FF/FG/LAB
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:14 AM

    Gay mitchell is a populist. He wanted the headlines but never intended to host anything

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    Mute Martin Fahy
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    Jul 30th 2016, 1:35 PM

    I’m not sure how the beach volleyball would have fared on Dollymount Strand with the cold cold, wind and showers.

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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:11 AM

    People thought it was a joke because it was a joke

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    Mute Edmund Dantes
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:11 AM

    Gay Mitchell is one of the biggest toolbags this country ever had, the first mainstream party candidate in the history of the state to lose his deposit when he ran for the Presidency !! His idea was completely mad & wasted a load of money at a time when the country hadn’t an ass in it’s pants. Deserves to be punched everytime he shows his weasel face in public !

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    Mute Declan Gibney
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:48 AM

    Gay Mitchell is dead, have a pinch of respect ffs.

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    Mute VIncent McGloughlin
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:25 PM

    Gay Mitchel is not dead. His brother Jim is.

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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jul 30th 2016, 1:34 PM

    The poor of Brazil will suffer for decades because of the money they had to out into hosting it. No thanks leave it to bigger nations that have the money.

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    Mute Andrew Mac Mahon
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:26 PM

    Olympics are a giant money pit. Way this county is we’re very lucky someone came to their senses and said no

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    Mute Patrick James Walsh
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    Jul 30th 2016, 1:00 PM

    It was a ridiculous idea, then same as now.

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    Mute Brendan Grehan
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    Jul 30th 2016, 12:14 PM

    Irwin accused Mick Wallace of looking like a tramp. I can never listen to his west Brit voice after that. He also used his charity to run for the seanad.

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    Mute Colm O'Connor
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    Jul 30th 2016, 11:47 AM

    The Dublin Dons would have been great

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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Jul 30th 2016, 3:31 PM

    Cheaper to host than the recent bailout

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    Mute 6ljJQRRU
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    Jul 30th 2016, 9:11 PM

    well glad that didn’t go ahead would haven been yet more money spent on Dublin and the rest of the country shafted again! Dublin produces a log of gdp for Ireland…which is not a surprise given all development takes place there and so many people from outside sublime have had to move there dubliners can’t afford a house anymore. How ironic.

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    Mute Michael Kenny
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    Jul 30th 2016, 10:20 PM

    Dreaming in that is like Leitrim winning the all Ireland!

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    Mute Rodger 5
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    Jul 30th 2016, 5:41 PM

    Amazing how public money can be spent on the ridiculous and it seem to be a relentless trait by the buffoons in power.

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