EXCLUSIVE Higgins relieved with injury diagnosis [audio]

INJURED Mayo's Keith Higgins

Higgins sets sight on league final


Mike Finnerty

“Depending on how quickly I recover, I’m looking at two to four weeks out. So, hopefully, if we can make it through to a league final I’d be back in time.”
These were the words of Mayo footballer Keith Higgins today (Wednesday) as he spoke exclusively to The Mayo News after finding out that he had suffered a ‘grade one tear’ of the medial ligament in his knee last Sunday.
Higgins (24) suffered the injury during the second half of Mayo’s victory over Monaghan at McHale Park, Castlebar. He then had to endure an agonising 36 hours wait to assess the damage before undergoing an MRI scan in Galway on Tuesday morning.
“I was a bit worried on Sunday evening but was a lot more hopeful by Monday because the pain had eased off a lot,” said the Ballyhaunis clubman.
“Of course, until the scan was done there was a bit of doubt in my head but Dr Frank Davey [Mayo team doctor] rang me a few hours later and said, ‘It’s good news’. To be honest, it’s probably as good an outcome as I could have hoped for.
“I don’t really remember the build-up to the injury but when I landed my foot got stuck in the ground and my knee just went from underneath me,” recalled Higgins.
“I got a dart of pain in the side of my knee when it happened but the pain started to fade a little later. I had a fair idea that it wasn’t the cruciate because I knew the pain would have been a lot worse.”
Higgins was back to work at the Bank of Ireland in Ballina on Wednesday morning and looking on the bright side after speaking with the Mayo physio, Mary Walsh, at training on Tuesday night in Castlebar.
“It just goes to show you that your whole season could be gone in a flash,” he said. “Things are going fairly well for the team too so I suppose I couldn’t have got injured at a worse time.  But, in another way, this injury will allow me to get a couple of weeks rest now before the hard training starts ahead of the championship.”
Higgins will miss Mayo’s final match of the National League campaign away to Cork on Sunday, April 11 but is hoping to be in contention for a starting place if the team qualifies for the Division 1 final on Sunday, April 25 at Croke Park.