Noel Hickey Gaelic games player
Noel Hickey (born 22 December 1980) is an Irish hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny senior team. Born in Danganmore near Dunnamaggin, County Kilkenny, Hickey first excelled at hurling whilst at school in Coláiste Éamann Rís. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team, before later lining out with the under-21 side. He made his senior debut in the 2000 championship. Hickey went on to play a key part for Kilkenny in what has come to be known as the greatest team of all-time, and has won nine All-Ireland medals - eight of which were won on the field of play - nine Leinster medals and four National League medals. His brother, Tom Hickey, was a two-time All-Ireland runner-up with Kilkenny.Hickey represented the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions in the early part of his career, winning back-to-back Inter-provincial medals in 2002 and 2003. At club level he won one championship medal with Dunnamaggin.Cited by many of his hurling peers as one of the best full-backs of his generation, Hickey won three All-Star awards while he also won the All-Star Young Hurler of the Year award in his debut season.Hickey has made 47 championship appearances for Kilkenny, more than any other full-back in the county's history. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 12 January 2013.