Mayo dual star facing championship dilemma

AS the Mayo senior footballers and hurlers embark on their 2018 championships next weekend, May 12 and 13, for one player, Keith Higgins, there is real dilemma.

On Saturday, May 12, Mayo hurlers will meet Wicklow in the opening round of the Christy Ring Cup in  Aughrim at 3 p.m.

This is a major game for the Mayo hurlers and one they will be hoping to have their best 15 available. This would include having their top hurler Keith Higgins in the team.

However, the problem is that 24-hours later Mayo footballers will be meeting their arch rivals Galway in the quarterfinal of the Connaught championship in Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar.

As a result both the Mayo hurling and football managers, Derek Walsh and Stephen Rochford, will want Higgins in their team.

The Ballyhaunis clubman is not alone a great hurler but is regarded as one of the best football corner backs in the country.

Higgins didn't feature for Mayo footballers in any of their seven football National Leagues games this year. Rather he choose to line out with the hurlers in their successfull National League run.

While he did return to the training with the footballers after the hurling league was over it is still expected that he will make himself available for the hurlers in their game against Wicklow on Saturday, May 12.

Should this be the case, Higgins is likely to be on the bench instead of starting against Galway and if needed be drafted in during the course of the game.