Keith Higgins doesn't let past disappointments diminish his appetite for pulling on the green and red jersey.

If anything the opposite is the case as their recent hard-luck stories makes the Mayo captain more determined to end the county's All-Ireland SFC famine.

"People ask is it hard to come back after getting so close but I think it is the opposite way," he remarked to The Irish Independent

"If you were getting beaten in Qualifier games and not getting to quarter-finals, it would be a bit more difficult.

"But getting so close and knowing you are not too far away, it probably gives you the ambition to come back in January and build on what you have done and hopefully progress."

Given a few run outs in the forwards under James Horan, specialist corner-back Higgins expects to be kept in defence by Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes.

"I don't think that's in their plans. I don't know where James got the idea from but I enjoyed it for the few days I did it - in the championship anyway; last year in the league wasn't so good. I enjoyed it but can't see it happening again.

"I keep saying I don't mind where they play me. My philosophy is that there's so many people out there who'd love to be in our position so you just have to go with it. The manager's boss and you have to do what he says.

"(In attack), you're not running around after James O'Donoghue all day!

"It's different and it's something I wasn't used to so it was enjoyable for a while, especially when you're playing out (in Croke Park) with a big, wide open pitch to run around in and you're not running around after someone.

"It was enjoyable but that is behind me now."

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