Ian Madigan brings big-game experience to table for Ulster in Pro14 final against old club Leinster

The Irish out-half kicked a last-minute penalty at Murrayfield on Saturday to send Dan McFarland’s side to their first final since that day in 2013.

Madigan partnered Brian O’Driscoll in the Leinster midfield back in the 2013 final at the RDS and helped his native province to a 24-18 win.

“It was a bloody tough game. I remember I’d been playing 12 quite a bit that season,” recalled Madigan.

“It went down to the wire, I think we won by six points, I’d many great games against Ulster over the years with Leinster, and I even played them back-to-back in Europe when I was with Bordeaux.

“It’s good to be on the other side now and getting stuck into it,” he added.

“I’ve so many fond memories of playing with Leinster, they’re a fantastic club and I’m still good friends with a lot of the guys there but come Saturday. I’d like to think there’s a mutual respect there and you kind of park the friendship for 80 minutes, and then after the game you kick off again.

“I’m part of the Ulster squad now and I’ll be doing everything I can to get Ulster over the line come Saturday, that’s where my focus is for the week.”

Madigan won two European Cups and two Pro12 titles in his time at Leinster.

“I’ve good experience with finals, along with a good group of lads, and even a lot of the Ulster guys have been part of Six Nations triumphs with Ireland and have played in big games and World Cups,” he said.

“It’s very important in weeks like this to get your work done early, you don’t want to be cruising through the first half of the week and then you get to Thursday night, Friday, the nerves start hitting you and you start to cram like you’d do for an exam.

“You get the work done early in the week, you build that confidence with the players around you in training so that you can carry that into the game, those mini-relationships on certain plays, setting the team up exactly how you want, ensuring guys you want to catch the ball off the attacking line, that you’re getting the ball in their hands.

“Going into a final, you don’t want to be playing guys late on the line while they’re being tackled,” Madigan added.

“In these weeks, and we sensed it last week, when energy is really high which is good, that’s what you want, but you’ve got to be able to hold that back in a way, that guys are getting in the right position and ultimately our plays work.”

“That would be my two bits of advice: get your study done early in the week and manage that energy so that we’re not making mistakes because, ultimately, in a final that can be the difference.”