 He played at corner back for Laois and in 2003 won an All Stars Award and was part of the Laois team that won the Leinster Senior Football Championship title for the first time since 1946.Higgins emerged on to the scene in 1997 as part of the Laois minor team that retained the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship title.In 1998, Higgins added a Leinster U21 Football Championship title to his list of honours.