By Ryan Ferry

AFTER three years out of the inter-county scene, Eoin McHugh thoroughly enjoyed the 2025 campaign with Donegal and the promise of big summer days are helping him through the challenging pre-season work.

McHugh was coaxed back into the group by Jim McGuinness last year and while he didn’t get the minutes he would have liked at the latter end of the campaign, he still talks positively on the experience.

It’s now more than five months since Donegal lost the All-Ireland Final and a new campaign is ready to throw in.

Whether it’s elite county footballers or half-interested Junior ‘B’ players, pre-season training is rarely enjoyed.

However, McHugh points out that it isn’t all hardship and he knows it will be worth it down the line.

“I’m up for another year. It’s great to be a part of it and great to be involved. It was a good enough year last year I suppose but we fell at the final hurdle. It’s a really great environment to be involved in.

“It’s tough but you just have to know what you’re doing it for.

“You have to remember the reason why you’re there and what you’re doing it for. The weather gets better. It gets warmer and the fields get harder, it gets a wee bit better anyway.

“That’s what you’re remembering. You remember the good days. Days like the Armagh game in the final.

“People think it’s a massive slog in the winter but it’s not. Nobody is forcing us to be up there. It’s our own choice. It’s enjoyable, the whole thing.

“I found it really enjoyable when I came in last year. I really enjoyed going back in. The pre-season can be tough but there is a group of people doing it with you, you can get over it quickly and move on.”

With the McKenna Cup returning this January, county teams were permitted to return to collective training earlier this year.

Despite that McHugh says there was ample time to get a break and a chance to recharge the batteries.

“Yeah we get our downtime. You have to take your breaks and try to enjoy yourself for a while and do your holidays and visit the family and do the rounds. You do get a break absolutely.

“To be honest, you look forward to getting back because it puts you in the routine of things, you get back into the swing of things and your routine is the same for the months going forward.

“I sort of look forward to getting back into the routine of things. It suits me. You have a better lifestyle when you’re waking up in the morning and you know what’s going on that evening, you know what the week schedule looks like ahead of you. I find a comfort in it.

“I like getting back into the swing of things after the couple of months off.”