FEW IRISH MEN have had the scent of Wembley Way in the nostrils more than Carl McHugh in recent seasons.
The 23-year-old from Lettermacaward is on the trail again tonight when his Plymouth Argyle side who take on Portsmouth tonight in the Sky Bet League Two play-off semi-final first leg at Fratton Park.
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McHugh was named as the club’s Player of the Year last week, having taken like a duck to water having been relocated to become a defensive midfielder having originally made his name as a defender.
In 2013, McHugh was part of the Bradford City side that overcame Premier League Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa on their way to the final of the Capital One League Cup, where they lost 5-0 to Swansea City at Wembley.
That same season, Bradford won promotion from the fourth tier with a 3-0 play-off final win at Wembley against Northampton Town.
McHugh, who played schoolboy football with Dungloe Town and Donegal reached the semi-finals of the League Two play-offs last season when his Plymouth side lost 3-2 at home to Wycombe Wanderers in the first leg and then went down 2-1 away.
[adrotate group=”48″]“We had a slow start at home and gave ourselves too much to do,” McHugh told BBC Radio Devon of last year’s ill-fated play-off campaign.
“You just have to try and learn from that experience. This year we’ll try not to think the game up too much, just play it as we’ve played every other game this season.
“But they’re not normal games at all. Form and everything goes out the window, they’re different kind of games.”
Plymouth welcome Portmouth in the second leg on Sunday.
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