Career
A former county minor, McHugh propelled himself onto the national stage with a 2-02 blitz of All-Ireland champions Dublin in the semi-final meeting at Croke Park. McHugh has been likened to a child of school-going age - "You"d think he had just stepped off a school bus", Gaelic Athletic Association pundit Benny Tierney once said. His manager Jim McGuinness has suggested: "Even when the big hits are going in, Ryan has the ability to summon that little shimmy that helps to take him past defenders and allows him to set up colleagues." Ryan McHugh"s uncle James also played in the 1992 All Ireland Final and received an All Star in 1992.
He also played in the under-21 team that lost to Cavan in the 2013 Ulster final, though had been troubled by a calf injury beforehand.
Colm Keys of the Irish Independent named him as the third of his "ten young guns aiming to fire in the league" ahead of the 2013 National Football League. McHugh made his senior competitive debut in a home game against Down in the 2013 National Football League on 9 February 2013.
He made his senior championship debut against Down as well later that year in June. Photographs of him appeared in the media the following day.
He played on the under-21 team that lost to Cavan in the 2014 Ulster final.
He propelled himself onto the national stage with a 2-02 blitz of All-Ireland champions Dublin in the 2014 semi-final meeting at Croke Park on 31 August. Manitoba of the match in that game, McHugh described himself as "fortunate" to have scored his two goals. In October 2014, McHugh was named as the All Stars Young Football player of the Year for 2014.
1 Ulster Football Championship (2014) 1 All-Ireland Football Championship Manitoba of the Match (2014, semi-final v Dublin).