Shane McGuigan says he was "inconsolable" after Derry lost to Donegal in last year's Ulster Championship.
Donegal won that Ulster quarter-final by a point in Ballybofey. McGuigan scored four points but felt he could have contributed much more.
"I do like [the pressure]," McGuigan told BBC's GAA Social Podcast.
"I like it when it's going well for me. When it doesn't, and when you suffer defeats, the fall is big.
"After Donegal last year, I put myself under a lot of pressure that day. It was one of the worst defeats of my life. After the game, I was inconsolable. I locked myself in the toilet, and stayed there for about half-an-hour after it.
"Rory (Gallagher) was talking to me about it the other day. I was balling my eyes out because I did put myself under that pressure. Even though I didn't have a bad game, I could have been coming away with 1-7 or 1-8 that game, and taking Derry to an Ulster semi-final.
"When you saw the boys on the ground after the game, on their knees, knowing that they've put everything into this for the last three or four months... It's not that you've let them down, but knowing that you could have kicked that point, kicked that goal. I was through on goal, could have had a penalty - should have I would say - missed two simple enough frees. You know if one of those had gone over, you'd have at least been going into extra-time.
"We had Donegal on the ropes that day. I would say [we] should have won it."
11 July 2021; Shane McGuigan of Derry in action against Stephen McMenamin during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Derry and Donegal at Páirc MacCumhaill in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
McGuigan, a 24-year-old teacher, says Derry manager Rory Gallagher has spoken to him about the attention which will come with being Derry's star forward.
"He said that I'll probably be the one that will be getting picked up, and getting that bit more special attention," said McGuigan.
"So, I need to be able to deal with it, and I need to be able to adapt my game too."
There is a part of McGuigan which enjoys that attention from the opposition, and he wants to be marked by the best defenders. He named name checked Greg McCabe, James Moran, and Aidan Forker from Armagh, and Pádraig Hampsey and Ronan McNamee from Tyrone.
McGuigan said his short-term aim is to win an Ulster title, and that longer term, an All-Ireland is in Derry's sights.
"When Rory stepped in, it became that bit more realistic for us," said McGuigan.
"[Tyrone winning the All-Ireland] does give you a bit more hope.
"If we stayed in Division 2 again this year, it wouldn't be the worst thing, but do I want to be in Division 1, playing against Dublin, Kerry, Armagh, Tyrone? I'd be lying if I said I don't want to be there.
"I think we are [good enough]. The more time we spent together, the better we are getting."
Last month, McGuigan was part of the Slaughtneil team which lost an All-Ireland hurling semi-final to Ballygunner. Just two days after the game, he was back at Derry training.
McGuigan says he has had conversations about giving up hurling, and the possibility that concentrating on one code could help his football game. However, the thought of winning an All-Ireland with Slaughtneil - a feat he believes is realistic - is too great.
"It has happened," says McGuigan.
"I've had it myself with a few people, seeking advice, with friends, family, even Rory. They've had different opinions. Probably the one thing that's keeping me in is my club. I can't let them down. I know we have some serious talent coming through that might some day push me out the door.
"To be fair to Mickey McShane, our hurling manager, from now until Derry is out of the [football] championship, I'll not have a hurl in my hand.
"Them few months from October to now, where I didn't play as much football as Rory probably would have liked, do hinder me slightly. I definitely found it tricky getting into things in the Down match. Even [against Offaly] I still missed some silly chances that two or three weeks down the line, I hope I won't be missing.
"When Slaughtneil aren't going as well, and they aren't winning championships, maybe I'll step away. I think there will come a point in time where if I do see that hurling is impacting on my football, I'll probably step away, and just explore that avenue for a year. I'll see if things are better.
"It'll probably ruffle a few feathers. I've given so much to hurling and Slaughtneil. I do think that people would respect the decision.
"An All-Ireland is something that is keeping me playing hurling at the minute. I do think that it is achievable in the next couple of years. If I had that one on the CV, I could hang my hurling helmet up."
Featured image: 11 July 2021; Shane McGuigan of Derry celebrates after scoring a point during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Derry and Donegal at Páirc MacCumhaill in Ballybofey, Donegal. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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