Born in Gowran, County Kilkenny, Hayden first excelled at hurling whilst at national school. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-nine when he first linked up with the Kilkenny senior team He made his debut in the 1945 Four Counties League, while also playing for the county junior team
Hayden went on to play a key part for Kilkenny for over a decade, and won one All-Ireland medal and three Leinster medals. As a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team at various times throughout his career, Hayden won one Railway Cup medal in 1954. At club level he won one championship medal with Éire Óg, after beginning his career with Castle Rovers.
