Ryan McHugh: 'Time waits on no one so you have to make the most of it'

Ryan McHugh can hardly believe where the time has gone.  

He turned 30 last week and he admits that milestone means his own footballing mortality has suddenly taken a seat right on his shoulder.  

But knowing that the road in front of him is much shorter now than what’s directly in the rearview mirror doesn’t weigh him down.  

As a youngster, he was always destined to wear a Donegal senior jersey. It was simply a case of when, not if. That elevation came right after Donegal’s 2012 All-Ireland triumph.  

But 2013 was a disastrous season for Jim McGuinness and his players with preparations hampered by club fixtures and the structure of the Donegal club championship. 

His decision to remain on board was only cemented by guarantees from the county’s decision-makers that the domestic championship season in Donegal wouldn’t commence until the county senior footballers’ one had ended.  

Refocused and, with the likes of McHugh on board, replenished, Donegal bounced back.  

McGuinness's third season had ended in a 16-point demolition at the hands of Mayo in the All-Ireland quarter-final.  

But the hallmarks that made them so formidable in 2012 were back in abundance as they regained their Ulster title, also coughed up in 2013, and reached another All-Ireland final in 2014. 

The defeat of Dublin in the last four was seismic and McHugh delivered one of the best individual performances ever witnessed at Croke Park by a Donegal player.  

Ultimately, he’d fail to pick up an All-Ireland medal as Kerry edged Donegal in the final. Since then he’s picked up three Ulster SFC titles while his personal collection includes two All-Stars and a Young Player of the Year gong.  

Presented with that quick history revision, McHugh shakes his head and admits it’s gone by in what feels like the blink of an eye.  

“Yeah - time waits for no one. When you get older, you look at things differently. When I first came in, 2013, I was walking into an All-Ireland winning dressing room.  

“The following year, we were lucky enough to win Ulster and get to the All-Ireland final. To be honest, it’s all gone by so quickly - the blink of an eye.  

“When I run out onto the pitch in Celtic Park I’ll be 30. But getting Jim back, has been reinvigorating.” 

There is no doubt McGuinness has put his players through the physical ringer in the last number of months - it’s the premier non-negotiable with him. If you want to succeed in the modern game you need legs.  

But all of that will have been designed to peak, to give maximum output, come April 20 and Donegal’s huge Ulster SFC tussle with champions Derry. But McHugh, having seen it all before, couldn’t wait to get started.  

He’s cerebral and intelligent enough to know that Donegal - under McGuinness's watch once more - gives him the best possible chance to add more silverware in a career that is now approaching the periphery of ‘home straight’ territory.  

But McHugh insists that there needs to be a legacy payoff from McGuinness’s second tenure involved.  

“I mean even from a mental viewpoint, it’s like ‘right, let’s get down to business here’. It’s unbelievable to have his voice back inside that dressing room. It’s given everyone such a lift.  

“Mary Coughlan has come in as county chairperson as well so it’s sort of all fallen into place, on and off the pitch. It’s gone really well so far.  

“Last year was a low period and I know it wasn’t by design, but that rock bottom did mean that we’ve been extremely fortunate since that good Donegal GAA people have got involved.  

“And from top to bottom, it’s taking great shape. Michael Murphy has even come on board with the county U-15s, that’s brilliant. I remember growing up, being involved with underage teams and going away to places like Tyrone.  

“It was always former players in charge of those sides. There was sort of a lineage there. Imagine being a 14-year-old coming in the gates at Convoy and it’s Michael Murphy waiting on you. 

“Donegal has always had good players. It’s about harnessing that, at all levels. Jim came in in 2010 and look how he turned it around. I remember him taking in those U-21s and just reinvigorating the set-up.  

“Looking around this time out, he’s freshening things up as well where it brings a lovely energy and atmosphere. And it can’t just be about the senior set-up.  

“That’s why it’s so important to also have all those bases at underage covered.” 

Karl Lacey’s ambitious Academy dream was too much for some to buy into at the time and those frustrations resulted in Donegal’s most decorated player rolling up his blueprints and heading for the exit door.  

Given the new-found tranquillity and synergy within Donegal GAA, the hope has to be that Lacey can be coaxed back, in some guise or capacity, in the near future.  

“To be fair to Karl Lacey and Aaron Kyles, who were both involved with the Academy at the time, they did some great work. The U-20 team now, that’s the first Academy side that’s come through.  

“The Academy is hugely important and it’s vital that it gets back up and running to the scale that those lads sort of envisaged. And like I said, it has to be the right people in those positions.  

“We need that conveyor belt. We have some amazing Donegal people operating at serious levels in sport. But I’ve no doubt the people in charge now will make sure all that gets back on track. 

“We have an amazing facility in Convoy. Now, it’s about maximising its potential. Donegal, it’s a huge county with a number of sports vying for young lads’ attention.  

“But looking around at this place. And like I said, coming in the gate and it’s a Karl Lacey or a Michael Murphy front and centre, that’s potent. So we have to be conscious that Gaelic football isn’t the only show in town.  

“It’s about how you sell yourself and I do think that Donegal GAA is moving once again towards that”. 

McHugh’s fine form this season was interrupted by a knock picked up in the side’s last regulation home league win over Meath.  

He wasn’t used as Donegal picked up the Division 2 crown at Croke Park at the expense of Armagh. He should be good to go though on Saturday.  

On his own brilliant form to date he explained: “Jim’s style of football suits half-backs. He wants to play on the front foot, good transitional football where, when you do turn the ball over, you just go. It’s not laboured or lateral, it has to be direct.  

“I’m really enjoying my football right now. I’m older so I’m hopefully wiser. I’m appreciating the moment as I know it won’t last forever.  

“First time around, with Jim, I just pulled on the boots and went at it one hundred miles an hour. But with the experience I now have, you definitely appreciate it much more. The lads have given it absolutely everything since the very start.  

“It sounds cliche, but we honestly want to do our absolute best for the people of Donegal., friends and family. When that’s the motivation it’s really powerful. 

“The work this season has been immense. I see the likes of Peadar Mogan and Caolan McColgan at times opening up the legs and it takes your breath away. The way these lads move through the gears is seriously impressive.  

“The power and the conditioning of them, it’s only when you see it up close and personal that you really appreciate it all. And you don’t get to that point overnight. So they are reflections themselves of the work they’ve put in.  

“But we know the real test is now, Derry and Celtic Park. That’s a serious barometer. But it’s a test we’re really looking forward to.”