'I don't think I've seen signs of regression. I think this year is a blip'
He wants to help Connacht, Ulster, and Munster close the gap to Leinster.
While Leo Cullen's side won the URC and reached the Champions Cup semi-finals, it was a tough season for the other provinces.
Munster squeezed into the URC play-offs but lost in the quarter-finals, while Connacht and Ulster finished 13th and 14th in the table, respectively.
Humphreys and the IRFU have taken some action over the past 12 months. A new tweak to the national contracts model will see the provinces contribute 40% of those deals from their provincial budget from the summer of 2026 onwards.
Leinster have the vast majority of so-called 'central contracts,' so that will divert around €700,000 combined per season into the other three provinces each season. That money will go specifically towards Munster, Ulster, and Connacht's pathways to help them produce more homegrown players.
On top of that, Humphreys and the IRFU have ended the men's sevens programme, meaning another €1.2 million will be redirected into the three provinces and women's rugby, which is another big priority for the union.
So what exactly will this money be spent on as the IRFU looks to help Munster, Ulster, and Connacht bridge the gap?
A key part of the plan is for the union to place full-time directors of rugby into schools around the three provinces.
More than 10 schools in Leinster have directors of rugby, so Humphreys and the IRFU plan to implement something similar around the island. It remains to be seen exactly where and when this happens, but the hope is that top-class coaching and planning in more schools in Connacht, Ulster, and Munster will have a major long-term impact.
'The biggest challenge we've got is that we have one province that is incredibly good at nearly everything,' said Humphreys this week.
'That's a huge credit to Shane [Nolan, Leinaster's CEO], Leo [Cullen, Leinster's head coach], and Guy [Easterby, Leinster's COO] for the work they've done with what you see on the pitch but also how they interact with the IRFU, certainly over the time I've been here, they have been great to deal with. So they've got a brilliant set-up.
'When I first came in, there was a lot of talk around 'Leinster are too strong.' In a high-performance system, a team can never be too strong. Ultimately, the goal is to be the very, very best. They are very close to being in that position.
Humphreys with Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Nick Elliot / INPHO Nick Elliot / INPHO / INPHO
'But the challenge that I believe we in the IRFU have, and in my role, is to make the other three more competitive.
'This year has definitely been a transition year. It's been a transition year because there's been a turnover in coaches, because two of our provinces [Munster and Ulster] in particular have had massive injury crises across the course of the season, so it's felt like a lot of things that could go wrong have gone wrong.
'The challenge then becomes how we close that gap in the provinces. We can do it a little bit by recruitment, by being a little bit more flexible in terms of who they can recruit, when they can recruit, but that's a short-term solution.
'To me, we've got to go, 'What is the longer-term solution?' I fundamentally believe, based on my experience, what we've seen working through the Irish system is that if we can support players below what is traditionally considered the pathway, going into the schools system and putting directors of rugby in there or supporting schools in a way they feel is necessary to improve their rugby programme, we can get a longer-term fix which will ultimately improve the provinces and ultimately support Ireland.
'How are we going to do that? Well, that was part of the decision to finish the men's sevens programme. It wasn't simply a financial decision. It was a performance decision based on, we have to be able to reallocate the resources in our system.
'The budgets are not being cut. Kevin Potts [CEO of the IRFU] has said we can't continue to keep doing what we've always done. So what that has meant is we've made a performance decision based on the financial reality of the world that rugby is in, not just the IRFU but the wider world, to say we're going to take a longer-term solution which is the money we're going to save from finishing the men's sevens programme is going entirely into investing in the three provincial pathways and the women's game.'
While improving schools programmes across the three provinces appears to be the first objective, the IRFU also hopes to help clubs make progress. Humphreys mentioned the potential for club sides to compete in schools competitions as he stressed that the pathways in Munster, Ulster, and Connacht can't simply mimic what is working in Leinster.
Between cutting the men's sevens programme and remodelling the national contracting system, the IRFU can redistribute close to €2 million per season, which could have a notable long-term impact.
But this is the thing. Making changes to a player development pathway can take years to have an effect at the top of the chain.
Ireland won a Triple Crown this season, but it wasn't a vintage campaign for the national team. Three of the provinces struggled. The Ireland U20s were poor in their Six Nations campaign.
The concern in some quarters is that Irish rugby is in regression already. Humphreys doesn't agree.
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Humphreys with Andy Farrell and Simon Easterby. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
'I don't think I've seen signs of regression,' he said. 'I think the nature of sport is that there are ups and downs and it's almost this year there's been, not quite the perfect storm, but there's a lot of things that have happened which would give off the view that it hasn't been as successful as it has been in the past.
'But for all those areas that you mentioned, when you look at some of the changes we've made, whether its coaching team, from a contracting point of view, the quality of the squads, I have no doubt that next year will be much stronger and much better, certainly across the provinces.
'We've had players who've been unbelievably successful, two or three of them probably had a dip in form at the same time. Even after the Six Nations, the form that a lot of them produced towards the end of the season was much stronger.
'The good thing is that this tour will give some of our young players the opportunity to perform and play against a very good Georgian team and we'll get a sense of where they are.'
Paul O'Connell will lead the Ireland tour to Georgia next week before they head on to Lisbon to face Portugal.
They will be without head coach Andy Farrell and four of his Ireland assistants, as well as 16 Irish players, and many backroom staff.
Two years out from the 2027 World Cup, this seems like an important window of development for the Ireland squad, yet they will be without the bulk of the coaching staff. Humphrey believes that Irish players will only benefit in the long run from Farrell, Simon Easterby, John Fogarty, Andrew Goodman, Johnny Sexton, and Gary Keegan being with the Lions.
'In the same way that we encourage our players to be aspirational and they all want to play at the very highest level, the British and Irish Lions, we want coaches coming in here who're pushing the boundaries, who are given the opportunity to show how good they are and also improve in their coaching,' said Humphreys.
'And I've no doubt that the opportunities that those coaches will have and the experience they will have over the next few months with Andy and the Lions will make them better coaches and ultimately improve Ireland.
'I also firmly believe we've a very good group of coaches throughout the Irish system at the minute and from a longer-term point of view, this will give the coaches who are going with Paul O'Connell on the Irish tour an opportunity for them to be better in what they do and take that back to the provinces and that will ultimately make our players better.'
The Ireland U20s side has been a pivotal stepping stone for many of Ireland's leading players. That age-grade side has enjoyed huge success in recent years under former head coaches Noel McNamara and Richie Murphy, but they finished last in this year's Six Nations after one win in five games.
Things have not gone well for Neil Doak's side, but Humphreys is not overly concerned.
'There's a huge expectation because of the success that Irish U20s have had but Peter Smyth [the IRFU's head of elite player development] was reminding me of 2018 where Ireland had Caelan Doris, Tommy O'Brien, James Hume, Michael Lowry [but won two games in the Six Nations and finished 11th at the World Championship]. There were a number of players who've gone on to be very successful.
Humphreys at the IRFU's training base this week. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
'It isn't necessarily an indicator that players won't come through. They've been very unfortunate in terms of injuries. If you look at the stats from the Six Nations, a lot of the stats put Ireland in the top two or three but what they couldn't compete with was that they lost Niall Smyth, Alex Usanov, Alan Spicer [two props and a second row] – the size, the power.
'And because we have a smaller group of players [compared to] a lot of our competitors, when we lose two or three key players out of that, we lose just a little bit of our competitiveness.
'It has been frustrating, I know how frustrated the players and coaches have been and I know how much they see the next few weeks in Italy [for the World Rugby U20 Championship] as a challenge but also an opportunity to show what they have.'
While Humphreys is clearly concerned about Munster, Ulster, and Connacht not allowing the gap to Leinster to become even wider, he insisted he is not downbeat about the state of play in Irish rugby.
With Stuart Lancaster coming into Connacht, Clayton McMillan arriving in Munster, and Richie Murphy guiding Ulster's young players, Humphreys is confident that fortunes will be quickly reversed around the island.
'I think this year is a blip for a number of reasons that were around changes in coaching teams, player injuries,' he said.
'I think with our recruitment, we're going to have stronger squads next year. With the coaches we've brought in, we're going to have strong coaching teams next year. That's going to allow us to close the gap.
'How long will that take? I don't know. But, ultimately, if Leinster keep pushing the boundaries but the other provinces keep working towards closing it, we're going to have a stronger national team and stronger provinces.
'The timeline is almost irrelevant, the challenge is to make sure we are closing the gamp, and from an IRFU perspective that we're making the decisions which are right, to ensure that yes, the challenge is on the provinces to do what they need to do, but the challenge is on us as the governing body to make sure that we're supporting them to close that gap.
'The expectation in Ireland now is that we have four provinces that are competitive and an Irish team is on top of the world.'
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Extra.ie
10 hours ago
- Extra.ie
How Donegal's defence can cope with David Clifford
There was a moment of levity during Jim McGuinness's press conference ahead of the All-Ireland final. The Donegal manager was asked when he knew that Finnbarr Roarty, the fresh-faced teenage defender who has been one of the revelations of this summer, was ready for senior inter-county football. 'I would say about a year ago I thought he might have been good enough, but I was a day out on my calculation!' McGuinness smiled, a reference to how he handed Roarty his senior debut in a McKenna Cup game, despite him still being a minor, which was against GAA rules and resulted in Donegal getting a slap on the wrists. But it did show how long the youngster, a clubmate of the manager in Naomh Conaill, has been on the radar. One of the big questions that surrounded Donegal ahead of this season was how McGuinness would adjust his team's defensive structure and shape to the new rules. While much of how they defend remains based on a system — and how they like to set up zonally just inside the arc — they have adapted it to the new game. Even with 11 v 11, he has trusted his team's shape. Finnbarr Roarty has been one of the revelations of this summer. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie 'That is probably the one thing that has surprised me about Donegal this season,' says Eamon McGee, the All-Ireland-winning corner-back in 2012. 'McGuinness came back last year and loved his defensive shape, and I wondered if he would remain true to that there or is he going more to a hybrid approach where he is getting out and putting the pressure on. 'But he's stayed true to that. I'm surprised that he's able to work it out, and they've been very brave, in fairness to Donegal, how they defended those zones and how they're leaving that third zone, nearly man-free. There's one man keeping an eye on it, but they're getting across so quick. From a defensive perspective, I'm surprised that they're able to manage it as well as they have.' McGuinness has been able to make it work because of the quality of defenders they have, and the speed at which they can move into a zone if they sense danger. Tyrone's decision to go man-on-man against Kerry resulted in David Clifford filling his boots on Padraig Hampsey, scoring 1-9 and probably leaving another couple of goals out on Croke Park. It was clear from early on that Hampsey was left too isolated, especially given how wide open his team were down the central channel where Joe O'Connor had a field day and roughly half of Kerry's 10 goalscoring opportunities originated. That is one area Kerry may find clogged upon Sunday, particularly if Caolan McGonagle returns to centre half-back. David Clifford has been in red-hot form for Kerry. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile And while the Ulster champions are wedded to the zonal system, defenders are still required to win their individual battles. One-on-one defending still matters. Roarty's ability to strip the ball from an opponent — most clearly seen in dispossessing Meath's Keith Curtis in the semi-final to start the move that led to Ciaran Moore's goal — is reminiscent of Karl Lacey in his pomp, as both McGuinness and McGee have pointed out. 'He punches above his weight in many respects and doesn't fear anybody,' McGuinness said of Roarty. 'There's an innocence to that but a courageousness as well. He's a brilliant tackler. I can see him taking the ball off Aidan O'Shea in Roscommon that day, that's not an easy task. Karl Lacey in his pomp. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile 'When he gets you in that grip, a bit like Karl Lacey, he can get the hand in and the hand out. It's clean and it's crisp and it's strong. He's fair. He's been brilliant, the Donegal people love him. They absolutely love him. When he gets a turnover now, I think it's as big a cheer as you're going to get for a point because he is so honest. ' McGee agreed with those sentiments. 'He is so good at sniffing danger and getting to the danger. His ability to rob a man reminds me of Lacey, who was like a boxer with quick hands and able to get the ball without getting the foul on. You watch Finbarr when he gets near the man. How many times we've seen it this summer, where Finbarr's getting the hand in, gets it away. 'He's brought so much to that defensive unit. And remember, Finbarr's coming from an era where he's been brought up in blanket defences, so a lot of those defensive skills were neglected, they weren't coached, it about getting everybody back, and the group, rather than the individual. For him to come out, and in the manner that he has, it's a testament to his club and his coaches and to himself.' Brendan McCole will likely be assigned the most difficult job in Gaelic football and asked to limit the damage that Clifford does in the final. There has been some speculation that Donegal may remain true to their zonal system elsewhere and McCole will be the only one tasked with a specific man-marking role, although the manner in which Ryan McHugh curtailed Rory Grugan's influence in the Ulster final suggests he may be the player to tag Paudie Clifford. Brendan McCole will likely be assigned the most difficult job in Gaelic football. Pic: INPHO/Leah Scholes But all eyes will be on McCole and how he handles Clifford. In his understated way, the Mountcharles native has grown into arguably the most consistent full-back in the country over the past couple of years and his ability to read the game and sense danger are two of his most impressive attributes, both of which he will need in spades on Sunday. His policing of Matthew Costello in the semi-final underlined his ability. 'McCole has been tasked with the danger man in every game, and he keeps an eye on his man while reading the game,' McGee says. 'If you look at the players who are dubbed man-markers most of them aren't able to do that, they are just focused on their direct opponent. But McCole is able to read the game, he's always aware of where his man is and when to stand off. He's hands-on at times, but he doesn't bring any of the sledging or verbals nonsense.' McGuinness has re-designed parts of his defensive shape to fit into the new game, but he still trusts his players in their individual battle. McCole has the hardest job of all on Sunday, but if his teammates sense trouble, their system means they can move at speed to help — and how they try to nullify the Kerry threats is just one of the reasons Sunday's game is so intriguing.
The 42
12 hours ago
- The 42
How the dream team of ROG, Biggar, Harrison, and Warburton works
IT TAKES MERE minutes in the company of Sky Sports' three amigos to understand that the fun they've been having on air during this Lions tour is no act. Sitting with them in the restaurant of their hotel in Melbourne, it's clear that Miles Harrison, Dan Biggar, and Ronan O'Gara have built a happy rapport inside and outside the commentary box. Biggar and O'Gara's next-level analysis and insights have been unmissable. Harrison, whose voice is synonymous with the Lions, has smoothly guided the pair of legendary former out-halves. Ex-Wales captain Sam Warburton has completed what is a commentary dream team with his contributions from back at Sky Sports' studios in the UK. Tomorrow's second Test at the MCG will be the Australian-based crew's final game as a trio, with O'Gara returning to France for pre-season with his La Rochelle side. So this week was the ideal time to catch up with Harrison, Biggar, and O'Gara to hear how they've made the magic happen. __________ Ronan O'Gara: 'I didn't even know I was going to be doing commentary over here' Miles Harrison: 'I still can't quite believe that.' ROG: 'Neither can I. Jess has six kids, five and me! I'm used to getting my hand held on a lot of stuff. I was thinking, am I going on this tour or not? The only reason was that I gave my word. And when I give my word to something, that means a lot. MH: 'You'd gone so well on the last tour and made such an impact that Sky were going to want you back.' ROG: 'What Lions tour was that?' MH: '2021. South Africa.' Dan Biggar: 'Honestly, this is basically a daily occurrence. We're checking up on where ROG is. Has he got a coffee? Has he eaten? Basically, that's half of our job – making sure ROG is fed and watered and in the right place. 'Because I was back in London quite a bit in the weeks leading up to this tour, and I knew I was doing commentary, unlike ROG, Miles and I did a few sessions. MH: 'We did an old Lions game and then a couple of Super Rugby games.' DB: 'I think we'd be lying if we didn't say there was room for improvement.' MH: 'It was raw, but it was full of promise. DB: 'I didn't know if I would get on this well with ROG… I had an inkling that we would, but you never quite know until you're thrown into that scenario. 'It's helped that we've got on really well. ROG's two boys, Zak and JJ, were out here at the start and I've got my wife and two boys with me. So they basically became unpaid babysitters in the first two weeks of the tour. 'We went out and did golf and go-karts and things like that, so we've bonded in the commentary box and in hotels, airports and things like that as well. Sky Sports commentator Miles Harrison. INPHO / Dan Sheridan INPHO / Dan Sheridan / Dan Sheridan MH: 'There was a sense that the chemistry could really work between the two guys. Initially, I think you [O'Gara] were asked to do that sort of regular comment during the game without necessarily being fully part of the commentary team. 'And when we sat up there on night one, the Reds game in Brisbane, that was sort of the intention, but I knew as soon as you started to become involved, that you'd want to speak more. 'We all sort of looked at each other and thought, 'Yeah,' and that was acknowledged back at base from the production side, who were liking what they were hearing. 'The guy who's not around this table is Sam, who's been very much part of the commentary team and in many ways I think we would all say he's sort of underpinned what we've done with world-class analysis. DB: 'He completes the package.' Advertisement ROG: 'And it gives us a break.' MH: 'That's been handled really well technically back at base, so it's been quite a powerful tool because Sam's got all the gizmos to be able to compile stuff both not only in studio but also within the game. And he's such a clever rugby thinker and communicator. 'He doesn't waste a word, comes in, talks in all the right places, knows exactly when to finish his point as well to make sure live play's not missed. He's been a real asset. ROG: 'Poaching is a big part of the game, discipline, penalty count, exiting. Forwards see it differently. 'And that's really good to have because we can't all just say the same thing.' DB: 'What we've been good at as well – and I think probably matching our personalities as players and ROG now as a coach – is that we're quite happy to not have the same opinion on something. 'I think if every pundit or commentator had the same opinion on things, it'd be a pretty boring show and it would be pretty uneventful. And also, it wouldn't be real because not everyone's got the same opinions on things. 'We haven't been afraid to disagree, or just have different opinions. MH: 'We said, 'When these disagreements come up, just don't argue.' And I didn't think that was ever going to be the case given the chemistry and the friendship that was already there. Respectful disagreement is such a comfortable thing, it's quite an exciting thing to listen to. 'I think when people start to argue on television, I find that a bit awkward. You're in someone's living room and you don't want to introduce that sort of angst to their life.' DB: 'We're very fortunate that we've had Miles alongside us as the best in the business for the last… you tell me, Miles.' MH: 'Easy, easy!' DB: 'I didn't want to put a number on it! But it gives me confidence to know that, right, if you're losing your way a little bit, you've got a really good guy to fall back on and guide you. 'We're coming from a very high standard of playing and coaching, but we're at the very beginning of this journey compared to Miles. So we're sort of saying, 'Look, you're in charge here and if you think we're talking too much, just tell us to shut up. If you need us to come in more and be more forceful, just tell us. We've come into this with no ego whatsoever. Sam Warburton provides comments from back in studio in the UK. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo ROG: 'That's the beauty of it. Miles has a way of operating that we respect. How do I explain this? It's not all kamikaze-style, speak whenever you want. He has very succinct, hidden rules in the commentary box, which is gold. 'So the can of Coke is the red card. 'If he puts the can of Coke up in the air, it's him who will speak.' MH: 'Well, it was your idea, not mine.' ROG: 'Because when you're coaching, the least intelligent person in the room needs to understand when you're making points. So for me, just simplify it. Clear and simple. 'For example, at the start, because I've no experience, I didn't appreciate that you need to hear the TMO, so you can't speak when it's TMO time. 'Then when the ball is in action, once or twice, I've been telling stories. And I'm carried away with a good story but this isn't the time for it. And then you get used to it because you only need a little bit of a clip once and then you're kind of back on it. 'Miles has had one mishap on tour. He's had one mistake in one game that I nailed him on!' MH: 'You looked so happy.' DB: 'It was Fin Smith.' ROG: 'And he said Finn Russell.' MH: 'I said Finn Russell put it into touch, it was Fin Smith.' DB: 'It was the moment we've been waiting for all tour.' ROG: 'We pounced!' MH: 'You were like vultures.' ROG: 'The two lads are unbelievably professional. You know, I'm absolutely shocked because normally players who retire are in a mourning period, but Dan is onto the next thing. 'My bread and butter is rugby. With all due respect, that's what I care a lot about – coaching. And that's when I'm organised and I have a routine and this was complete bonus territory for me in the fact that another of the reasons I did this was that I'd be able to go and meet rugby league coaches here in Australia. 'The lads are highly prepared but because of what I do, I'm rugby from 7am to 10pm every day, so it's very normal for me. It's what I do. The viewer might think, 'That's very interesting information,' but I've been doing this since the age of 18, which is 30 years.' MH: 'You chuck in all the stuff that they hear in their headphones, and I think that's the biggest challenge for an ex-player moving into this world of broadcasting. There's so much to listen to.' DB: 'I remember the first couple of times you've got people talking in your ear and you lose your train of thought, where you're going with things, but now you can just turn them down a little bit. You've got the controls to turn the TMO up, the studio down, Miles down, whatever it is. 'Going back to what ROG said about preparation, it's no surprise that Miles will lock himself away in his room almost for a day or two before games and have preparation done on players, teams, scripts, opening lines. He's not just ad-libbing that stuff, you know what I mean? 'That gives us a really good platform to add our views because he's so polished and so prepared in that area, it gives us a bit of freedom to just ad-hoc it a little bit in terms of what we're seeing on the pitch because he, he's given us such a solid foundation.' ROG: 'You can only scratch the surface because you could have the family on the couch watching the game, they maybe aren't all rugby nerds, but some people absolutely love it and that's nearly their 'why' in life, being able to go down the pub and talk about the game.' MH: 'How these guys talk is so accessible. You can always go down the sort of high-falutin' language route, but I just think broadcasters are at their most effective when they talk in language that is accessible. 'They make it very understandable, very accessible, but in doing so, don't alienate who they're really targeting as well, which is the true rugby fan. To do it so early in their broadcasting careers is very, very good.' Dan Biggar and Ronan O'Gara in Australia. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO DB: This is part of Miles' life, every four years going on a Lions tour, whereas for me just finishing up this year, I've been a player on the last two Lions tours. 'Somebody sent me a message saying what a way it is to transition, going on a Lions tour with Sky in Australia. I was thinking about how special it actually is. 'I'm probably not at the stage where I'm missing playing quite yet, because I'm so recently finished and I knew it was the right time, but you're fully aware of the surroundings here and the magnitude of what you're calling. 'How many tours is this for you now, Miles?' MH: 'It's my eighth Lions tour. 'I use this phrase so many times, commentary is instant journalism. Whatever your brain relays to your mouth, it comes out, it's gone, it's said, and there's no editing of live commentary. 'Because you have to be so totally absorbed in the match, you do feel one or two of those little things that players feel. So when players come out of the game, I think commentary is a terrific connection for them, post-game, as is coaching. 'As Dan said, I've been around forever and you get the point where you think, what could possibly be new that could excite you? And this really has excited me. 'We have here a current coach. I think football over the years has used the manager very well, and I don't think rugby has. 'We've got a guy who's just out of the game, literally just out of the game, who's clearly made for broadcasting and has made an unbelievably quick transition into it. And we've got another guy who is still very much in the game, but has the total and utter credibility as a player and as a coach as well, and I think as a combination or as a team that really is what excited me so much.' DB: 'We have had fun. And that tends to show in work and life, doesn't it?' MH: 'I knew it would be fun.' ROG: 'That saying is so apt – if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.'
The 42
13 hours ago
- The 42
'It still haunts you' - Donegal star Ryan McHugh on 2014 All-Ireland defeat to Kerry
RYAN MCHUGH HAS never watched the 2014 All-Ireland football final back. 11 years on, the scars remain. Sunday offers a shot at redemption against Kerry, who won on a scoreline of 2-9 to 0-12 to deny Donegal a second title in three years. It also brings another crack at a first Celtic Cross for McHugh, who joined the panel the year after 2012 success. 'I watch every game back. With 2014, I never took it upon myself to sit down and watch it back,' two-time All-Star McHugh says. 'I don't think I played well that day. Just could never bring myself to get it. Maybe it was the inexperience of the whole thing. 'It was a tough one, there's no point in lying. It still haunts you. You go into the game on such a high and after such a huge performance against Dublin. We did everything so right against Dublin and then not to click against Kerry. Obviously Kerry had a good performance, but it was such a disappointment for us. Advertisement 'You move on, but you don't get over defeats like that. Even if we won this one, it wouldn't get over 2014. We were in a position to win the All-Ireland final and we didn't do it.' The 31-year-old defender is in a reflective mood as he recalls the highs and lows, ups and downs, trials and tribulations of over a decade in inter-county football. 'I thought those days would be around all the time,' McHugh continues. 'With the team winning in 2012 and getting to finals and semi-finals, you thought that you'd get a chance to get back to another one. That didn't happen, but to get back here 11 years later is great. McHugh (right) and Eamonn McGee dejected after the 2014 final. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO 'It'll mean nothing if we can't get over the line. Kerry are a top, top team with top, top players and arguably, in my opinion anyway, the best player to play the game. It will be massive, but we're relishing it. This is where you want to be as a player, getting ready for an All-Ireland final. I've been fortunate enough to be in one before in 2014 and now we have another opportunity.' The Kilcar man has been a mainstay for Donegal since his arrival in 2013, bar a necessary break in 2023. He announced himself with 2-2 to dethrone Dublin on his All-Ireland semi-final debut, two years after captaining the minor team in 2012. That period was a whirlwind. 'It's crazy, but at the time you're so engrossed, it takes over your life. You're training five, six days a week and you don't know any different. 'I have been extremely fortunate to be born in an era of Donegal football where we have been competitive. I came into a team of my heroes and role models. I remember one of the first meetings I was in, Jim [McGuinness] has touched on it that he tries to bring the best minor up, and fortunately he felt that was me. 'I was extremely lucky to come into a dressing room with all the players I looked up to. Karl Lacey was my hero growing up. To get to follow him around, work off him and see how he lived his life, improved me . . . 'It's been football, football, football — but I wouldn't have it any other way.' Michael Murphy with Jim McGuinness. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Like Lacey on McHugh, another player who has similar effect is Michael Murphy. The 2012 All-Ireland winning captain and five-time All-Star made a sensational retirement U-turn to rejoin the Donegal panel this season. He has been instrumental on their road back to a first final since '14. 'It hasn't surprised me. There isn't a lot more that you can say about Michael. He is a phenomenal footballer, but it's the way he lives his life outside of football. He lives like a professional person and the way he conducts himself, he's a real role model and an unbelievable ambassador for our county. 'For him to come back in the shape he was in didn't surprise me. I knew he would keep himself in good shape and we saw him in the club championship. There are no words. People from all over Ireland are starting to get it now. He's a phenomenal person and a phenomenal leader and a phenomenal footballer.' Related Reads 'One of my early years, I had the match played in my head a thousand times beforehand' David Clifford 'could be the best player that has ever played the game' - McGuinness 'It's challenging but it's adding to the entertainment' - Goalkeeper view on new rules Murphy was on punditry duty when Donegal bowed out in the semi-final last year. McHugh was in the half-back line as Galway came strong at the finish. He circled the Croke Park field on his own afterwards, a familiar feeling setting in. 'We really thought that we had a huge chance of winning the All-Ireland last year. We thought that we were a good enough team and a good enough squad. With Jim back, we knew we had a top-class manager on the line. It was sheer and utter disappointment.' While still haunting, 2024 and 2014 are in the rear-view mirror. It's all about 2025 for Ryan McHugh and Donegal. *****
