Keith Higgins (Irish: Ceiteach Ó hUiginn) is an Irish sportsperson. He has played both Gaelic football and hurling for Mayo GAA, the former until his retirement in January 2021. He also plays both sports for his club Ballyhaunis.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Ceiteach Ó hUiginn | ||
| Sport | Dual Player | ||
| Position | Left Corner Back | ||
| Born | 25 February 1985 Castlebar, Ireland | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Ballyhaunis GAA | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Mayo titles | 0 | 13 | |
| Connacht titles | 0 | 0 | |
| All-Ireland titles | 0 | 0 | |
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | ||
2005–2021 2003–present | Mayo (F) Mayo (H) | ||
| Inter-county titles | |||
| NFL | 1 | ||
| All Stars | 4 | ||
| Connacht Titles | 8 | ||
In 2006, he was the All Stars Young Footballer of the Year. He also captained both the Mayo under-21 football and hurling teams to All-Ireland Championships. Injury ruled him out of the 2007 championship.[1] Higgins also represented Mayo at senior level in both codes, played for Connacht in hurling's Railway Cup, winning a medal in 2005, while in 2014 he became the first Connacht player to win football and hurling Railway Cups after Connacht won a first title since 1968.[2]
Hurling is his first love.[3] He plays it for Ballyhaunis.[4] In 2005, Higgins won a Christy Ring Cup All Star while playing for the Mayo county team. In 2008, he was nominated for the Christy Ring Cup Player of the Year award.[5] Higgins was voted as the Cadbury's Hero of the Future in 2006.
During Mayo's 2011 NFL campaign, Higgins received praise for his outstanding performances in right half back.[citation needed]
Higgins retired from inter-county football in January 2021.[6] However, he expressed the wish to continue playing hurling for Mayo.[7][8] He was revealed as Mayo hurling team captain in May 2021.[9]
Honours
- Football
- Connacht Senior Football Championship (8): 2006, 2009, 2011–2015, 2020
- National Football League (1): 2019
- Connacht Under-21 Football Championship (1): 2006
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship (1): 2006
- Railway Cup (1): 2014
- Sigerson Cup (1): 2005
- GAA GPA All Stars Awards (4): 2012–2014, 2017
- All Star Young Footballer of the Year (1): 2006
- Hurling
- All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship (1): 2003
- Connacht Junior Hurling Championship (1): 2003
- National Hurling League Division 3 (1): 2005
- Railway Cup (1): 2004
- Nicky Rackard Cup (2): 2016, 2021 (c)
- Christy Ring Cup All Star (1): 2008
- Nicky Rackard Cup Hurler of the Year (1): 2021