Noel Hickey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Noel Hickey

Personal information
Sport	Hurling
Irish Name	Nollaig Ó hIcidhe
Date of Birth	22 December 1980
Place of birth	Dunnamaggin, County Kilkenny
Height	5'10"
Club information
Club	Dunnamaggin
Position	Full-back
Club(s)*
Club	Years	Apps (scores)
Inter County
County	Kilkenny
Position	Full-back
Inter County(ies)**
County	Years	Apps (scores)
Kilkenny	2000-	28 (0-0)
Inter County Titles
Leinster Titles	6
All-Ireland	4
All-Stars	2
* club appearances and scores correct as of . **Inter County team apps and scores correct as of .

Noel Hickey (born 22 December 1980) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays in the full-back position on the Kilkenny senior hurling team.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Playing career 2.1 Club 2.2 Inter-county

[edit] Early life

Noel Hickey was born in Dunnamaggin, County Kilkenny in 1980. Growing up on the family farm he showed great skill at the game of hurling. He was educated locally and later attended agricultural college. While attending agricultural college Hickey first tasted hurling success when he was part of the team that won the All-Ireland Agricultural Colleges title. Hickey currently works as a farmer.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Club

Hickey plays his club hurling with his local Dunnamaggin team. He has enjoyed much success at club level, winning county medals at minor, intermediate and under-21 levels. In 1997 Hickey won a county senior medal when Dunnamaggin beat Young Irelands.

[edit] Inter-county

Since beginning his playing career at inter-county level, Kavanagh has had much success. At minor level he won two Leinster titles, however, he failed to capture an All-Ireland title at this level. By 1999 he was playing on the under-21 Kilkenny team. That year he captained the team to the championship title and added an All-Ireland medal to the two Leinster under-21 titles he had already won.

In 2000 Hickey made his debut on the Kilkenny senior hurling team. He immediately captured his first Leinster title before later winning his first All-Ireland medal with a huge win over Offaly. He finished off the year by collecting his first All-Star as well as the Eircell Young Hurler of the Year title. In 2001 Hickey claimed his second Leinster medal, however, there was no All-Ireland title to celebrate. In 2002 Kilkenny were back on form and Hickey won his first National Hurling League title. He subsequently claimed yet another Leinster title before later winning his second All-Ireland medal with a victory over Clare. In 2003 Kilkenny completed the so-called double-double by winning a second consecutive National League and All-Ireland title. The All-Ireland win over Cork gave Hickey his second All-Star award. In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming for the three-in-a-row of All-Ireland victories, however, the side had a less than successful year. They lost their Leinster crown to Wexford but reached the All-Ireland final via the qualifiers system. On the day they lost to an up-and-coming Cork.

In 2005 Hickey won his third National League title, his fifth Leinster medal and the scene looked set for a third consecutive show-down between Cork and Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Galway, however, put an end to Kilkenny's hopes in a thrilling semi-final at Croke Park. In 2006 Hickey captured his fourth National League title in a close victory over Limerick. He later won his sixth Leinster title which allowed "the Cats" to progress and meet Cork in the All-Ireland final. On the day Kilkenny were too strong for Cork and Hickey colleceted his fourth All-Ireland medal.

Hickey also has two Railway Cup medals with Leinster.

Preceded by Diarmuid O'Sullivan (Cork)

Eircell Young Hurler of the Year 2000

Succeeded by Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)

	KIlkenny - All-Ireland Hurling Champions 2000 (26th title)
1 J. McGarry | 2 M. Kavanagh | 3 N. Hickey | 4 W. O'Connor (Capt.) | 5 P. Larkin | 6 E. Kennedy | 7 P. Barry | 8 A. Comerford | 9 B. McEvoy | 10 D. Byrne | 11 J. Power | 12 J. Hoyne | 13 C. Carter | 14 H. Shefflin | 15 D.J. Carey | Subs: C. Brennan | E. Brennan | Manager: B. Cody

	KIlkenny - All-Ireland Hurling Champions 2002 (27th title)
1 J. McGarry | 2 M. Kavanagh | 3 N. Hickey | 4 P. Larkin | 5 R. Mullally | 6 P. Barry | 7 J.J. Delaney | 8 D. Lynch | 9 A. Comerford | 10 J. Hoyne | 11 H. Shefflin | 12 J. Coogan | 13 E. Brennan | 14 M. Comerford | 15 D.J. Carey | Subs: C. Carter | B. McEvoy | J. Power | Manager: B. Cody

	KIlkenny - All-Ireland Hurling Champions 2003 (28th title)
1 J. McGarry | 2 M. Kavanagh | 3 N. Hickey | 4 J. Ryall | 5 S. Dowling | 6 P. Barry | 7 J.J. Delaney | 8 P. Mullally | 9 D. Lyng | 10 J. Hoyne | 11 H. Shefflin | 12 T. Walsh | 13 D.J. Carey | 14 M. Comerford | 15 E. Brennan | Subs: C. Phelan | R. Mulally | A. Comerford | J. Coogan | Manager: B. Cody

	KIlkenny - All-Ireland Hurling Champions 2006 (29th title)
1 J. McGarry | 2 M. Kavanagh | 3 N. Hickey | 4 J. Tyrrell (Capt.) | 5 James Ryall | 6 J. Tennyson | 7 T. Walsh | 8 J. 'Cha' Fitzpatrick | 9 D. Lyng | 10 R. Power | 11 H. Shefflin | 12 E. Larkin | 13 E. Brennan | 14 M. Comerford | 15 A. Fogarty | Subs: W. O'Dwyer | R. Mulally | Manager: B. Cody

	Kilkenny Senior Hurling Team 2006
1 J. McGarry | 2 M. Kavanagh | 3 N. Hickey | 4 J. Tyrrell (Capt.) | 5 J. Ryall | 6 J. Tennyson | 7 T. Walsh | 8 J. 'Cha' Fitzpatrick | 9 D. Lyng | 10 R. Power | 11 H. Shefflin | 12 E. Larkin | 13 E. Brennan | 14 M. Comerford | 15 A. Fogarty | 16 P.J. Ryan | 17 B. Hogan | 18 R. Mullally | 19 S. Maher | 20 J. Dalton | 21 P.J. Delaney | 22 M. Fennelly | 23 M. Rice | 24 E. McCormack | 25 W. O'Dwyer | 26 P. Cleere | 27 A. Murphy | 28 E. Reid | 29 S. Cummins | 30 S. O'Neill | 31 R. O'Neill | 32 J.J. Delaney | 33 D. Cody | Manager: B. Cody