Kilkenny hurler, Hickey, calls time on inter-county career
Noel Hickey, a nine-time All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winner, has played his last game of senior inter-county hurling for Kilkenny.
Local sources have confirmed that Hickey has taken the decision to retire from the inter-county game, with the news coming barely three months after the Cats' memorable All-Ireland final replay win over Galway.
The Dunnamaggin clubman, who turned 32 last month, came on as a late substitute for starting full-back JJ Delaney in the Croke Park decider that day.
Hickey has been a mainstay of the Kilkenny team under Brian Cody for many years. Indeed, his departure leaves Henry Shefflin as the only surviving member from Cody's maiden All-Ireland winning panel of 2000.
The well-liked farmer leaves hurling's top tier with an enviable list of team and individual honours - nine Liam MacCarthy Cup triumphs, 11 Leinster medals, six Allianz League successes, four Walsh Cups and three All-Star awards.
Hickey, Shefflin and ex-Kilkenny goalkeeper Noel Skehan are the only three players to have won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship on nine occasions, with Shefflin having the unique honour of winning all of his nine on the field of play.
It had been reported early last month that the experienced defender, who was the 2000 Young Hurler of the Year, was keen to play on with the Cats.
Hickey reportedly told Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh during an interview at the All-Ireland medals presentation in Langtons that he was staying on as a member of Cody's playing panel.
But it now appears that his inter-county playing days are over.
