Donegal's Ryan McHugh hoping to christen son with Sam Maguire glory

"I know he'll not remember or anything like that, but you've got a new cause in life and you're doing it for a different thing now," he said.

FATHER'S PRIDE: New father Ryan McHugh is hoping to christen the recent arrival of his son by winning an All-Ireland SFC medal. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

New father Ryan McHugh is hoping to christen the recent arrival of his son by emulating his father Martin and brother Mark and winning an All-Ireland SFC medal on July 27.

Senan arrived safely into his and his wife Bridget’s lives three weeks ago and McHugh is leaning on her heavily as preparations now kick in ahead of facing Kerry.

“It changes things, it changes life. But to be fair to my wife Bridget, we’ve sort of made a wee agreement that until the end of the year, she's doing the night feed, so I’m still getting my sleep.

“He was up at the game (v Meath) with Bridget, it just makes everything that wee bit extra special. I know he'll not remember or anything like that, but you've got a new cause in life and you're doing it for a different thing now.”

A minor when Donegal last lifted the Sam Maguire Cup in 2012, McHugh joined the senior panel a year later so is the odd one out. It appears to the source of some ball-hopping among the McHugh men.

“It makes it tough at the breakfast table and dinner table at home, because Dad and Mark have one!” he smiles.

“But listen, it's all part of it.”

Believing he didn’t well in the 2014 All-Ireland final, McHugh admits that defeat to Kerry stung twice as badly.

“It was very difficult, no point lying. I've actually never watched the game back, to be honest with you. I have watched wee clips but never watched the full game back.

“You thought at that time, you were going to be in semi-finals, finals every year. But I think it was up to last year it took us to get back to an All-Ireland semi-final. So listen, we want to make the most of it; it could be another 11 years until we get back again.”

McGuinness has been involved in all four of Donegal’s All-Ireland final appearances, this being his third in charge. McHugh marvels at his consistency of his message and the intensity of it.

“The way I like to answer this question is, he brings it every single night. Although, we didn't win it, I've been fortunate enough to be involved with him in an All-Ireland final – and he is on it on the first night we meet in December, or whenever it is, until the last night in an All-Ireland final. And it’s the exact same, every single night.

Ryan McHugh breaks away with the ball during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile.

“And I know that sounds easy, but it's actually an extremely difficult thing to do. You could have problems off the pitch, family issues, work issues, different things, but he is on it every single night. And demanding the most of us, and putting in the best. And to be fair, the team he's around him, it's all so professional.”

Michael Murphy’s impact is that such that McHugh wonders if he would have made a difference had he come out of retirement last season.

“Nobody knows what would have happened if Michael was there last year.”

For the way he plays but also the manner in which he carries himself, McHugh can’t stress enough the importance of Murphy’s presence.

“It’s similar to Jim, it's hard to put into words, but his whole leadership qualities, and I think the two of them bounce off each other so well.

“To be fair to Jim, in 2011, he made Michael Murphy his captain – who was 21, 22 years of age. If you think of that now, it'd be like Donegal making Finnbarr Roarty captain. So, the trust that he has in him.

“He's a phenomenal person, so he is, Michael. He's a phenomenal footballer, obviously, everyone sees that. But he's a phenomenal person. The way he lives his life off the field is just unbelievable, and I think it's helped all the younger boys – just watching him.

“If I touch on Finnbarr Roarty, he was probably six when Michael lifted the cup in 2012. He was his role model, he was his hero growing up, and to get to play with these boys.

“I know myself coming in, Karl Lacey was my hero. I just worshipped him, I followed every move he was making. And the younger boys are the exact same with Michael.”