Mayo joint-manager Noel Connelly has denied that Keith Higgins was ordered not to play with the county hurlers.

Connelly's hurling counterpart JP Coen recently claimed that the Mayo football captain was told not to hurl by the football management, and his non-appearance for the hurlers in last weekend's Christy Ring Cup opener against Derry seemed to back this up. But Connelly says he would never stand in the way of anyone wanting to play for their county.

"To be fair, while we are not disappointed he is not playing both codes, we would not stop a player from playing for their county," Connelly is quoted in the Irish Examiner.

"We would say, at this stage of his life, a weekend of two codes was too much for him. The decision was his. He could play if he had the desire, but he is now captain of our team I think he feels one code is maybe enough for him at this time.

"Keith is 30 years of age and captain of our team and instrumental to our plans. (In the past) he could play two games, hurling one day and club football the next day and come back.

"Keith at this stage in his career has managed to do that quite well, but in the last few years I think Keith probably realised one code is enough for him."

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