Noel Hickey
Encyclopedia
Noel Hickey is an Irish
hurler
who played currently plays as a full-back for the Kilkenny
senior team.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Hickey made his first appearance for the team during the 2000 championship
and immediately became the first-choice full-back. Since then he has won seven All-Ireland
winner's medals, nine Leinster
winner's medals, three National League
winner's medals and three All-Star
awards. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
At club level Hickey has won one county championship winners' medal with the Dunnamggin
club.
in 1980. The second youngest of a family of six brothers, he grew up on the family farm where he honed his hurling skills. Hickey was educated locally at St. Leonard's national school before later attending Coláiste Éamann Rís
in nearby Callan
. He quickley became a key fixture on the school's hurling team and captured a Leinster colleges' title in 1998 following a 1-10 to 0-9 defeat of the mighty St. Kieran's College. The Callan side were subseqeuntly defeated by St. Flannan's College
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Hickey later attended Kildalton College, a third level agricultural institute, where he enjoyed further hurling success. He won an All-Ireland agricultural colleges' title in 1999. Hickey currently works as a farmer.
club and has enjoyed much success. He first came to prominence as a member of the club's minor side, winning a county title in this grade in 1995. He added a second minor county title to his collection three years later in 1998.
By this stage Hickey was also a key member of the Dunnamaggin under-21 side. It was a hugely successful period for the south Kilkenny club, as Hickey won his first under-21 county title in 1996 when he was only fifteen years-old. Two more under-21 titles followed in 1998 and 1999.
Hickey was still only a member of the club's minor team when he joined the Dunnamaggin senior team. In 1997 the club reached the senior county championship final for the very first time in their history. Reigning champions Young Irelands provided the opposition. Hickey had been impressive in some challenge games leading up to the final and was handed his senior championship debut just hours before the start of the game. It was a family affair as the full-back line consisted of Hickey at left corner-back while his two brothers provided support to his right. Dunnamaggin won the game by 2-10 to 2-7, giving Hickey and his club a first county title at senior level.
Dunnamaggin failed to retain the title the following year, while also suffering the ignominy of being relegated from the senior competition.
The club bounced back to recalim their senior status in 2000, following victory in the intermediate county championship final.
In 2002 Hickey lined out in his second county championship decider at senior level. Once again it was Young Irelands who provided the opposition. Hickey faced a tough afternoon at full-back as D. J. Carey
, his opposite number, scored a remarkable 2-7 to give Young Irelands a 3-14 to 1-15 victory.
minor team in 1997. He won a Leinster
title that year following a fifteen-point trouncing of Offaly
. Kilkenny's minor were later beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Hickey was eligible for the minor grade again in 1998. He added a second Leinster title to his collection that year following a comprehensive defeat of Wexford
in a replay. Kilkenny later made it all the way to the final where Cork provided the opposition. A 2-15 to 1-9 score line resulted in defeat for Kilkenny.
In 1999 Hickey joined the Kilkenny under-21 team and was appointed captain for the year. It was a successful year for 'the Cats', as they captured the Leinster
title following a 1-17 to 1-6 defeat of Offaly. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Hickey's side against Galway
and a close game developed. At the final whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 1-13 to 0-14 and Hickey collected his sole All-Ireland
under-21 winners' medal.
winners' medal. As a result of the so-called 'back-door' system in the championship both sides later faced off against each other again in the All-Ireland final. D. J. Carey capitalised on an Offaly mistake after just six minutes to start a goal-fest for 'the Cats'. Carey scored 2-4 in all, sharing his second goal with Henry Shefflin
who also scored a goal in the second-half. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 5-15 to 1-14 and Hickey collected his first All-Ireland
winners' medal. He was subsequently honoured with his first All-Star
award while also picking up the Eircell Young Hurler of the Year
title.
In 2001 Hickey's side retained their provincial crown following a facile 2-19 to 0-12 defeat of Wexford
. While Kilkenny were expected to reach the All-Ireland final and retain their title, an unexpected defeat by Galway
in the All-Ireland semi-final brought their campaign to an end.
Kilkenny recovered from this shock defeat and signalled their intent by getting into the final of the National Hurling League
in 2002. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion and a close game developed. Hickey collected his first National League winners' medal on that occasion following a 2-15 to 2-14 victory. The subsequent provincial championship saw Kilkenny play Wexford in the championship decider. The men from the 'model county' were far from a push-over on this occasion, however, a narrow 0-19 to 0-17 score line gave Kilkenny the win and gave Hickey a third Leinster title in-a-row. A subsequent victory over Tipperary
allowed Kilkenny to advance to another All-Ireland final. First-round losers Clare
worked their way through the qualifier system and provided the opposition to 'the Cats'. There was no doubt in the pundits' minds that there would be anything but a Kilkenny victory. Henry Shefflin and D. J. Carey combined to score 2-13, while Clare's forwards missed two easy goal chances. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 2-20 to 0-19. It was Hickey's second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2003 Kilkenny's dominance of all hurling competitions continued. For the second consecutive year Hickey's side qualified for the final of the National League. Old rivals Tipperary were the opponents and a cracking game of hurling developed between the two. Kilkenny claimed a narrow 5-14 to 5-13 victory. It was Hickey's second National League winners' medal. The Leinster hurling counties provided little opposition in the subsequent championship campaign and Kilkenny marched to yet another Leinster title. The 2-23 to 2-12 defeat of Wexford gave Hickey a fourth consecutive Leinster winners' medal. Subsequent success over Tipperary gave Kilkenny a save passage into an All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. Hickey's side were the overwhelming favourites going into the game, however, they never led by more than four points at any stage of the game. Setanta Ó hAilpín
scored the equalising goal for Cork after the restart, however, Martin Comerford
's goal five miutes before the end clinched a 1-14 to 1-11 victory for Kilkenny. It was Hickey's third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years while a second All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row, however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success at the semi-final stage. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system, however, after a scare against Clare they still reached the All-Ireland final. For the second year in-a-row Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game, however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005, however, Hickey endured a season dogged by illness. He missed Kilkenny's National League triumph, however, he returned in time for the championship. Kilkenny proved that the 2004 defeat in Leinster was just a temporary blip. A 0-22 to 1-16 defeat of Wexford in the final gave Kilkenny possession of the provincial title and gave Hickey a fifth Leinster winners' medal. Hickey had been feeling unwell for a while during the championship campaign, however, he failed to act until receiving advice from his sister who was a nurse. He was subsequently diagnosed with a virus that had attached itself to the muscle around the wall of the heart. It would have proved potentially fatal if it had gone undiagnosed. As a result Hickey missed KIlkenny's All-Ireland semi-final against Galway, a game which saw 'the Cats' concede five goals and exit the championship.
In 2006 Hickey colelcted a third National League title while he retained his usual full-back position for the championship. He added a sixth Leinster title to his collection following another facile victory over Wexford, before lining out in the All-Ireland final. The game that everyone had predicted would happen in 2005 was now taking place as Cork squared up to Kilkenny for the third time in four years. The Leesiders were aiming for a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny as it was Cork who denied their three-in-a-row bid in 2004. On the day Kilkenny were far too strong for Cork as 'the Cats' secured a 1-16 to 1-13 victory. It was Hickey's fourth All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2007 Kilkenny Hickey captured a seventh Leinster winners' medal following another facile victory in the provincial decider. A damaged hamstring restricted his involvement in the latter stages of the 2007 season, however, Kilkenny still qualified for the All-Ireland final where, surprisingly, Limerick
provided the opposition. Kilkenny got off to a flying start with Eddie Brennan
and Henry Shefflin combining to score two goals within the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, captain Shefflin sustained an injury during the game and had to retire at half-time. In spite of losing their captain and star player Kilkenny still went on to win the game by 2-19 to 1-15 and Hickey collected a fifth All-Ireland winners' medal.
2008 saw Kilkenny launch an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The team had an easy passage through the Leinster campaign, however, the opening half of the provincial final against Wexford gave ‘the Cats’ a minor scare. In the end Hickey collected his eighth Leinster winners' medal after a 5-21 to 0-17 victory. A knee inhury resultted in him being relegated to the substitutes' bench for the subsequent All-Ireland series of games. Kilkenny went on to capture the three-in-a-row, however, Hickey played no part in the 3-30 to 1-13 rout of Waterford
. In spite of missing Kilkenny's last two games of the championship, Hickey still picked up a third All-Star award.
The knee injury ruled Hickey out of the 2009 championship while he subsequently damaged an AC joint in his shoulder. Because of this he missed Kilkenny's Leinster final victory over Dublin
, while he also played no part in Kilkenny's historic fourth All-Ireland title in succession.
In 2010 Kilkenny were the odds-on favourites to become the first team in either hurling or Gaelic football
to win a fifth successive All-Ireland title. After a lacklustre National League campaign Hickey returned to full-back in time for the championship. He subsequently won a ninth Leinster title followimg a comprehensive defeat of Galway. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a repeat of the 2009 decider as Tipperary provided the opposition once again. Tipperary got off to a great start as Kilkenny's star forward Henry Shefflin had to leave the field with an injury. A hat-trick of goals by Lar Corbett
and a fourth by Noel McGrath denied Kilkenny's drive-for-five and secured a remarkable 4-17 to 1-18 victory for Tipp. It was Kilkenny's first defeat in the championship since 2005.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
hurler
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
who played currently plays as a full-back for the Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
senior team.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Hickey made his first appearance for the team during the 2000 championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2000
The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2000 was the 114th edition of Ireland’s premier hurling knockout competition. The championship ran from May to September of that year, culminating with the All-Ireland final, held at Croke Park, Dublin on 10 September...
and immediately became the first-choice full-back. Since then he has won seven All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
winner's medals, nine Leinster
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
winner's medals, three National League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
winner's medals and three All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
awards. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
At club level Hickey has won one county championship winners' medal with the Dunnamggin
Dunnamaggin GAA
Dunnamaggin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in the south of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1897, but had to wait ninety-four years for its first senior county title, taking home the junior trophy in 1994....
club.
Biography
Noel Hickey was born in Dunnamaggin, County KilkennyCounty Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
in 1980. The second youngest of a family of six brothers, he grew up on the family farm where he honed his hurling skills. Hickey was educated locally at St. Leonard's national school before later attending Coláiste Éamann Rís
Coláiste Éamann Rís
Coláiste Éamann Rís is a Christian Brothers secondary school for boys located in Callan, County Kilkenny, in the South-East of Ireland....
in nearby Callan
Callan
-People:Callan is the birth place of some famous people, namely:* Edmund Ignatius Rice, founder of the Irish Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers* Callan also has links with Asa Griggs Candler's family and the Coca-Cola company....
. He quickley became a key fixture on the school's hurling team and captured a Leinster colleges' title in 1998 following a 1-10 to 0-9 defeat of the mighty St. Kieran's College. The Callan side were subseqeuntly defeated by St. Flannan's College
St. Flannan's College
Saint Flannan's College is an Irish secondary school located in Ennis, County Clare. Formerly an all-boys boarding school, the first girls class was entered in 2002 and in 2005 the boarding school was closed. In 2003 an extension which added over 20 new rooms to the college was completed...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Hickey later attended Kildalton College, a third level agricultural institute, where he enjoyed further hurling success. He won an All-Ireland agricultural colleges' title in 1999. Hickey currently works as a farmer.
Club
Hickey plays his club hurling with his local DunnamagginDunnamaggin GAA
Dunnamaggin is a Gaelic Athletic Association club situated in the south of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1897, but had to wait ninety-four years for its first senior county title, taking home the junior trophy in 1994....
club and has enjoyed much success. He first came to prominence as a member of the club's minor side, winning a county title in this grade in 1995. He added a second minor county title to his collection three years later in 1998.
By this stage Hickey was also a key member of the Dunnamaggin under-21 side. It was a hugely successful period for the south Kilkenny club, as Hickey won his first under-21 county title in 1996 when he was only fifteen years-old. Two more under-21 titles followed in 1998 and 1999.
Hickey was still only a member of the club's minor team when he joined the Dunnamaggin senior team. In 1997 the club reached the senior county championship final for the very first time in their history. Reigning champions Young Irelands provided the opposition. Hickey had been impressive in some challenge games leading up to the final and was handed his senior championship debut just hours before the start of the game. It was a family affair as the full-back line consisted of Hickey at left corner-back while his two brothers provided support to his right. Dunnamaggin won the game by 2-10 to 2-7, giving Hickey and his club a first county title at senior level.
Dunnamaggin failed to retain the title the following year, while also suffering the ignominy of being relegated from the senior competition.
The club bounced back to recalim their senior status in 2000, following victory in the intermediate county championship final.
In 2002 Hickey lined out in his second county championship decider at senior level. Once again it was Young Irelands who provided the opposition. Hickey faced a tough afternoon at full-back as D. J. Carey
D. J. Carey
Denis Joseph Carey , better known as D.J. Carey , is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Young Irelands from 1988 until 2007 and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1990 until 2005...
, his opposite number, scored a remarkable 2-7 to give Young Irelands a 3-14 to 1-15 victory.
Minor & under-21
Hickey first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KilkennyKilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
minor team in 1997. He won a Leinster
Leinster Minor Hurling Championship
The ESB Leinster Minor Hurling Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Hurling played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council...
title that year following a fifteen-point trouncing of Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
. Kilkenny's minor were later beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Hickey was eligible for the minor grade again in 1998. He added a second Leinster title to his collection that year following a comprehensive defeat of Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in a replay. Kilkenny later made it all the way to the final where Cork provided the opposition. A 2-15 to 1-9 score line resulted in defeat for Kilkenny.
In 1999 Hickey joined the Kilkenny under-21 team and was appointed captain for the year. It was a successful year for 'the Cats', as they captured the Leinster
Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an U-21 hurling tournament. The first tournament took place in 1964 when Wexford were crowned champions. Wexford...
title following a 1-17 to 1-6 defeat of Offaly. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Hickey's side against Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
and a close game developed. At the final whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 1-13 to 0-14 and Hickey collected his sole All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 winners' medal.
Senior
In 2000 Hickey made his senior championship debut as Kilkenny reached the Leinster final. Offaly provided the opposition, however, Kilkenny had the upper-hand and a comfortable 2-21 to 1-13 victory gave Hickey a first LeinsterLeinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
winners' medal. As a result of the so-called 'back-door' system in the championship both sides later faced off against each other again in the All-Ireland final. D. J. Carey capitalised on an Offaly mistake after just six minutes to start a goal-fest for 'the Cats'. Carey scored 2-4 in all, sharing his second goal with Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
who also scored a goal in the second-half. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 5-15 to 1-14 and Hickey collected his first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
winners' medal. He was subsequently honoured with his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award while also picking up the Eircell Young Hurler of the Year
Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year
The Gaelic Athletic Association All Stars Young Hurler of the of the Year known for sponsorship reasons as the Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year is a hurling award that honours the achievements of a young hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the GAA All Stars Awards, in which a...
title.
In 2001 Hickey's side retained their provincial crown following a facile 2-19 to 0-12 defeat of Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. While Kilkenny were expected to reach the All-Ireland final and retain their title, an unexpected defeat by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the All-Ireland semi-final brought their campaign to an end.
Kilkenny recovered from this shock defeat and signalled their intent by getting into the final of the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
in 2002. Cork provided the opposition on that occasion and a close game developed. Hickey collected his first National League winners' medal on that occasion following a 2-15 to 2-14 victory. The subsequent provincial championship saw Kilkenny play Wexford in the championship decider. The men from the 'model county' were far from a push-over on this occasion, however, a narrow 0-19 to 0-17 score line gave Kilkenny the win and gave Hickey a third Leinster title in-a-row. A subsequent victory over Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
allowed Kilkenny to advance to another All-Ireland final. First-round losers Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
worked their way through the qualifier system and provided the opposition to 'the Cats'. There was no doubt in the pundits' minds that there would be anything but a Kilkenny victory. Henry Shefflin and D. J. Carey combined to score 2-13, while Clare's forwards missed two easy goal chances. At the full-time whistle Kilkenny were the champions by 2-20 to 0-19. It was Hickey's second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2003 Kilkenny's dominance of all hurling competitions continued. For the second consecutive year Hickey's side qualified for the final of the National League. Old rivals Tipperary were the opponents and a cracking game of hurling developed between the two. Kilkenny claimed a narrow 5-14 to 5-13 victory. It was Hickey's second National League winners' medal. The Leinster hurling counties provided little opposition in the subsequent championship campaign and Kilkenny marched to yet another Leinster title. The 2-23 to 2-12 defeat of Wexford gave Hickey a fourth consecutive Leinster winners' medal. Subsequent success over Tipperary gave Kilkenny a save passage into an All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. Hickey's side were the overwhelming favourites going into the game, however, they never led by more than four points at any stage of the game. Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
scored the equalising goal for Cork after the restart, however, Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
's goal five miutes before the end clinched a 1-14 to 1-11 victory for Kilkenny. It was Hickey's third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years while a second All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2004 Kilkenny were aiming for an unprecedented third All-Ireland victory in-a-row, however, the team was now under severe pressure from all quarters. For the first time in seven years Kilkenny failed in their bid to become Leinster champions as a last-gasp Wexford goal ended an almost unprecedented run of success at the semi-final stage. Kilkenny took the scenic route via the qualifiers system, however, after a scare against Clare they still reached the All-Ireland final. For the second year in-a-row Cork provided the opposition on a gloomy and overcast day. The sides were level for much of the game, however, in the final twenty minutes Cork scored nine points without reply and secured the victory. Kilkenny ended the year with no silverware.
Kilkenny were back in form in 2005, however, Hickey endured a season dogged by illness. He missed Kilkenny's National League triumph, however, he returned in time for the championship. Kilkenny proved that the 2004 defeat in Leinster was just a temporary blip. A 0-22 to 1-16 defeat of Wexford in the final gave Kilkenny possession of the provincial title and gave Hickey a fifth Leinster winners' medal. Hickey had been feeling unwell for a while during the championship campaign, however, he failed to act until receiving advice from his sister who was a nurse. He was subsequently diagnosed with a virus that had attached itself to the muscle around the wall of the heart. It would have proved potentially fatal if it had gone undiagnosed. As a result Hickey missed KIlkenny's All-Ireland semi-final against Galway, a game which saw 'the Cats' concede five goals and exit the championship.
In 2006 Hickey colelcted a third National League title while he retained his usual full-back position for the championship. He added a sixth Leinster title to his collection following another facile victory over Wexford, before lining out in the All-Ireland final. The game that everyone had predicted would happen in 2005 was now taking place as Cork squared up to Kilkenny for the third time in four years. The Leesiders were aiming for a third All-Ireland victory in-a-row; however, revenge was foremost in the minds of Kilkenny as it was Cork who denied their three-in-a-row bid in 2004. On the day Kilkenny were far too strong for Cork as 'the Cats' secured a 1-16 to 1-13 victory. It was Hickey's fourth All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2007 Kilkenny Hickey captured a seventh Leinster winners' medal following another facile victory in the provincial decider. A damaged hamstring restricted his involvement in the latter stages of the 2007 season, however, Kilkenny still qualified for the All-Ireland final where, surprisingly, Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
provided the opposition. Kilkenny got off to a flying start with Eddie Brennan
Eddie Brennan
Eddie Brennan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Graigue-Ballycallan and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 2000.-Biography:...
and Henry Shefflin combining to score two goals within the first ten minutes. Unfortunately, captain Shefflin sustained an injury during the game and had to retire at half-time. In spite of losing their captain and star player Kilkenny still went on to win the game by 2-19 to 1-15 and Hickey collected a fifth All-Ireland winners' medal.
2008 saw Kilkenny launch an all-out attack in an attempt to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The team had an easy passage through the Leinster campaign, however, the opening half of the provincial final against Wexford gave ‘the Cats’ a minor scare. In the end Hickey collected his eighth Leinster winners' medal after a 5-21 to 0-17 victory. A knee inhury resultted in him being relegated to the substitutes' bench for the subsequent All-Ireland series of games. Kilkenny went on to capture the three-in-a-row, however, Hickey played no part in the 3-30 to 1-13 rout of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
. In spite of missing Kilkenny's last two games of the championship, Hickey still picked up a third All-Star award.
The knee injury ruled Hickey out of the 2009 championship while he subsequently damaged an AC joint in his shoulder. Because of this he missed Kilkenny's Leinster final victory over Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
, while he also played no part in Kilkenny's historic fourth All-Ireland title in succession.
In 2010 Kilkenny were the odds-on favourites to become the first team in either hurling or Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
to win a fifth successive All-Ireland title. After a lacklustre National League campaign Hickey returned to full-back in time for the championship. He subsequently won a ninth Leinster title followimg a comprehensive defeat of Galway. The subsequent All-Ireland final was a repeat of the 2009 decider as Tipperary provided the opposition once again. Tipperary got off to a great start as Kilkenny's star forward Henry Shefflin had to leave the field with an injury. A hat-trick of goals by Lar Corbett
Lar Corbett
Lar Corbett is an Irish sportsman. He plays hurling with his local club Thurles Sarsfields and has been a member of the Tipperary senior inter-county team since 2001.-Club:...
and a fourth by Noel McGrath denied Kilkenny's drive-for-five and secured a remarkable 4-17 to 1-18 victory for Tipp. It was Kilkenny's first defeat in the championship since 2005.
Kilkenny
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (7): 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (sub)
- Runner-up (3): 1999, 2004, 2010
- Leinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipLeinster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Leinster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland....
:- Winner (10): 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (sub), 2010
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
:- Winner (5): 2002, 2003, 2005 (sub), 2006, 2009 (sub)
- Runner-up (1): 2007
- Walsh CupWalsh Cup (hurling)The Walsh Cup is an annual hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1954 for the top inter-county and third-level hurling teams in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The cup was named after Tom Walsh , Chairman of the Leinster Council...
:- Winner (3): 2005, 2006, 2007