Joe Higgins’ senior inter-county playing career is over after he was officially appointed as the 2010 Laois ladies football manager last week.

The 2003 All Star corner-back had been considering retirement for some time but, at just 30 years of age, it was hoped he would make himself available to Sean Dempsey’s panel for another year.

However medical advice that suggested he’d need a hip replacement before he was 40 if he continued playing, was the ultimate factor in his decision. He is hopeful of playing club football with St Joseph’s for one more year but the playing days of one of the county’s greatest players are certainly coming to an end.

Higgins admits that the last few years were difficult. “Corner-back was my position and my game was all about pace,” he said. “I didn’t like admitting it at the time, but I did lose a yard or two of pace and that made it a lot more difficult. County football is all about pace now and if you’re struggling there, you’re going to be in trouble.

“I had a groin operation last year in the sports clinic in Santry and Dr Eanna Falvey there diagnosed me with arthritis in my hips and if I kept playing I’d need replacements in a couple of years. Obviously I’m going to have to have that work done at some stage but I’d like to put it off for as long as possible and my best chance of doing that is to stop playing.

“I had always considered getting into management and although it’s probably a bit sooner than I thought, I’m looking forward to giving it all I can.”

It is a big appointment for the Ladies county board as they seek to re-establish themselves as one of the strongest sides in the country. Brendan Hayden’s decision to step down after just one year opened the door for Higgins and he’s ready for his new challenge.

“Other than training juveniles, I don’t have much experience of,” he said, “and in fairness to the ladies county board they’re taking a punt on me. I met with Michael O’Loughlin and Mairead Fitzpatrick and they’ve been very supportive and while I need to learn a lot about the ladies game, I think the same principles apply as in the mens’ game.

“I know there’s the makings of a very talented team there and I can see, that like myself with Laois in the last couple of years, there’s a lot of players that have been there for a long while and would like to finish up on a high.

“Laois have a good tradition in the ladies game and we’ll be hoping to beat Meath in the semi-final and get a shot at Dublin in a Leinster final. Cork have brought ladies football to another level in recent years but Dublin now appear to be the best in Leinster and we have to get up to that standard.”

Steven Miller, Leinster Express

Filed under: Laois Football, Laois Clubs, Ladies GAA, Laois NFL, Laois SFC, Laois County Underage, Inter County, LFC, All Ireland Qualifiers