Ryan McHugh named as one of the best players in Ireland

Ryan McHugh has been named as the fifth best GAA player in Ireland – in an article which profiled the fifty best players in Gaelic football.

Irish Independent GAA correspondent Colm Keys listed his fifty best players from last season, and placed the Donegal livewire in the N0.5 position.

McHugh enjoyed an incredible campaign for Donegal last season and was undoubtedly Donegal’s best performer.

Keys wrote that McHugh is pound for pound as good as any footballer in Ireland.

Keys said, “Pound for pound McHugh matches the best footballers in the country.

“From Donegal’s first league game against Down when he scored two goals to their last championship match against Dublin, when he sprinted over 80 metres to touch home a goal, his probing and ball-carrying have been superb between half-back and half-forward.

“Hard to remember him wasting a ball.”

He is odds on to win his first GAA/GPA All-Star award at the glitzy banquet on Friday night.

Paddy McGrath and Patrick McBrearty have also been nominated for an All-Star award following their heroics last season.