Carey first lined out for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team during the 2017 Leinster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 8 April 2017 when he lined out at full-back in Kilkenny's 3–22 to 0–04 defeat of Westmeath. Carey won a Leinster Championship medal on 2 July following a 3–15 to 1–17 defeat of Dublin in the final. Carey progressed onto the Kilkenny under-21 team for the 2018 Leinster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 20 June 2018 when he was introduced as a half-time substitute in a 3–13 to 1–17 defeat by Galway.