Johnny Crowley
Encyclopedia
- This article is about the Cork hurlerHurlingHurling 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...
Johnny Crowley. For the Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er of the same name, please see Johnny Crowley (Kerry GAA)Johnny Crowley (Kerry GAA)John Crowley is a former Irish Gaelic football forward with the Glenflesk and Bishopstown clubs, East Kerry divisional side and Kerry county team.- Playing career :...
Johnny Crowley (born 21 February 1956 in Enniskean, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
) is an Irish
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...
retired sportsperson. He played hurling
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...
with his local club Bishopstown
Bishopstown GAA
Bishopstown Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Bishopstown area of Cork city, Republic of Ireland...
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1987.
Club
Crowley played his club hurling with the BishopstownBishopstown GAA
Bishopstown Hurling and Football Club is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Bishopstown area of Cork city, Republic of Ireland...
club in Cork. He enjoyed little success with the relatively new club, however, he did win a city junior hurling championship title in 1977.
Minor and under-21
Crowley first came to prominence as a dual playerDual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
on the inter-county scene with Cork in the early 1970s. In 1974 he enjoyed a rare double
The Double (Gaelic games)
The Double is a term in Gaelic games that refers to a county winning the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in the same year. Other major trophies won in combination in the same year at minor or under-21 levels are also often referred to as...
in this grade. He began the year by winning a Munster
Munster Minor Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
minor hurling title following a 2-11 to 2-7 defeat of Tipperary in a replay The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on 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...
. A close game ensued, however, at the final whistle Cork were the champions by 1-10 to 1-8, giving Crowley a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
minor winners’ medal.
1974 also saw Crowley enjoy much success with the Cork minor footballers. He picked up a Munster
Munster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
title in this code as well as Cork defeated arch-rivals Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry 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 Kerry...
by 0-13 to 1-6. An All-Ireland final appearance later beckoned with Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
providing the opposition. The game was a close affair, however, Cork were the winners by 1-10 to 1-6. This victory gave Crowley a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
minor football winners’ medal to add to the hurling memento which he won two weeks earlier.
1975 saw Crowley join Cork's under-21 hurling team. He subsequently captured his first Munster
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in that garde following a 3-12 to 2-6 win over 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...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against fierce rivals Kilkenny. The game was a disaster for 'the Rebels' as Kilkenny were the overwhelming winners on that occasion by 5-13 to 2-9.
In 1976 Crowley added a second Munster under-21 title to his collection as 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....
were accounted for in the provincial final. The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Cork against Kilkenny once again, however, on this occasion Cork had the upper hand. A 2-17 to 1-8 trouncing gave Crowley a coveted 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.
Crowley collected a third consecutive Munster under-21 title in 1977 as Limerick fell by 5-9 to 1-8. A third successive All-Ireland under-21 final beckoned and, for the third year in-a-row, Kilkenny were the opponents. Only a goal separated the sides at the full-time whistle, however, victory went to Kilkenny.
Senior
After a brief spell playing soccer with Wilton, Crowley decided to concentrate on hurling full-time and joined the Cork senior team in 1976. It was the beginning of a great era of success for 'the Rebels' with Crowley claiming a first MunsterMunster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster 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 Munster in Ireland....
title at senior level after 4-14 to 3-5 win over neighbouring 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...
. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where 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...
provided the opposition. Crowley's side got off to the worst possible start and trailed by 2-2 to no score after just six minutes. Cork battled back, however, the game hung in the balance for much of the seventy minutes. With ten minutes left Wexford were two points to the good, however, three points by Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
, two by Pat Moylan
Pat Moylan (hurler)
Pat Moylan is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1973 until 1981.-Club:...
and a kicked effort from captain Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
gave Cork a 2-21 to 4-11 victory and gave Crowley a coveted 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.
The following year Crowley added a second Munster title to his collection as Cork defeated fourteen-man 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....
by 4-15 to 4-10. A subsequent defeat of 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,...
set up an All-Ireland final showdown with Wexford once again. The game turned into a close, exciting affair. A Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
goal, together with some brilliant saves by goalkeeper Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman
Martin Coleman is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballinhassig and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1970 until 1979.-Club:...
helped Cork to a 1-17 to 3-8 victory and a second All-Ireland winners' medal for Crowley.
1978 saw Cork dominate the provincial championship once again. Clare provided the opposition in a second consecutive Munster showdown, however, Cork secured a narrow 0-13 to 0-11 win. It was Crowley's third provincial winners' medal. This victory paved the way for Cork to take on Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The stakes were high as Cork were attempting to capture a first three in-a-row since 1954. The game, however, was not the classic that many expected. Cork were never really troubled over the course of the seventy minutes and a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1-15 to 2-8 victory over their age-old rivals. This victory gave Cork a third All-Ireland title in succession and gave Crowley his third All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 1979 Cork were invincible in the provincial championship once again. A 2-15 to 0-9 trouncing of Limerick gave the county a record-equaling fifth consecutive Munster title. On a personal level it was Crowley's fourth consecutive Munster winners’ medal. After this game it looked likely that Cork were set for a fourth consecutive appearance in the All-Ireland final and the chance to equal the seemingly unbeatable record of four championships in-a-row. The All-Ireland semi-final saw Galway catch Cork on the hop as a 2-14 to 1-13 defeat ended the dream of four in-a-row.
Cork lost their provincial crown in 1980, however, Crowley captured a 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...
medal after a defeat of Limerick in a replayed final.
Two years later in 1982 Cork were back and Crowley won his fifth Munster winners' medal following a 5-31 to 3-6 trouncing 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...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Kilkenny. Following an impressive provincial championship campaign 'the Rebels' were the red-hot favourites, however, Kilkenny surprised. Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan
Christy Heffernan is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Glenmore and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s. Heffernan is regarded as one of Kilkenny's greatest-ever players.-Club:...
scored two goals in a forty-second spell just before the interval to take the wind out of Cork's sails. Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly
Ger Fennelly is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1989. Fennelly captained Kilkenny to the All-Ireland title in 1979.-Biography:Ger Fennelly was born in Piltown, County...
got a third goal within eight minutes of the re-start, giving Kilkenny a 3-18 to 1-15 victory.
In 1983 Cork’s run of provincial success continued. Crowley won a sixth Munster title that year as Cork trounced Waterford for the second consecutive year. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Cork against Kilkenny for the second consecutive year also. ‘The Cats’ used a strong wind to dominate the opening half and built up a strong lead. Cork came storming back with goals by Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1994. Mulcahy currently works as a pundit with The Sunday Game...
and Seánie O'Leary
Seánie O'Leary
Seanie O'Leary is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Youghal and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1971 until 1984.-Early & private life:...
, however, at the full-time whistle Kilkenny had narrowly won by 2-14 to 2-12.
1984 was a special year in the annals of Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
as it was the centenary year of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
. The year began well with Crowley helping his team to victory in the special Centenary Cup
Centenary Cup
The Centenary Cup was a Gaelic Games competition arranged by the Gaelic Athletic Association to mark the centenary of the GAA in 1984.The hurling competition was won by Cork and the football competition was won by Meath.-Hurling:-Football:...
competition. A seventh Munster winners’ medal soon followed for Crowley as Cork defeated 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...
by 4-15 to 3-14 in a memorable Munster final. The subsequent All-Ireland final, played at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
in Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
, saw Cork take on 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...
for the first time ever in championship history. The centenary-year final failed to live up to expectations and Cork recorded a relatively easy 3-16 to 1-12 victory. It was Crowley's fourth All-Ireland winners’ medal. He was later honoured with his sole All-Star award.
In 1985 Crowley added an eighth Munster title to his collection as Cork defeated Tipperary by 4-17 to 4-11 in the provincial decider once again. Cork, however, were later defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1986 Cork made it five-in-a-row in Munster as Crowley's team defeated Clare by 2-18 to 3-12 to take the provincial title. It was Crowley's nibth Munster winners’ medal. This victory paved the way for an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway. The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team, however, on the day a different story unfolded. Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton
John Fenton
John Fenton is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Fenton is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Club:Fenton played his club hurling with his local Midleton club and...
, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1993.-Club:...
, stymied the Galway attack and helped ‘the Rebels’ to a 4-13 to 2-15 victory. It was Crowley's fifth and final All-Ireland winners’ medal.
In 1987 Cork were attempting to make history by winning a record sixth Munster title in-a-row. Tipperary provided the opposition in the provincial final, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay in FitzGerald Stadium
FitzGerald Stadium
Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team....
, Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
has gone down in history as one of the great provincial finals. At full-time both sides were level again and extra-time was played. Tipp eventually won the day by 4-22 to 1-22 and it was the first time in five years that Cork were not provincial champions. Crowley decided to retire from inter-county hurling following this defeat.
Inter-provincial
Crowley also had the honour of being selected to play for MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial series of games. The only time he played for his province was in 1979, however, Munster were defeated by Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
in the semi-final of the Railway Cup.
Cork
In late 1995 Jimmy Barry-Murphy was apoointed managerManager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of the Cork senior hurling team. The appointment of Crowley and Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman
Tom Cashman is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1977 until 1988. Cashman later served as manager of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2000 until 2001.-Biography:Tom...
as selectors led to the managerial team being referred to as the 'dream team.' This tag stuck, however, Cork's fortunes remained in the dodrums. A humiliating defeat by Limerick at home in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played. It is the home of Cork GAA...
in 1996 was followed by a defeat by Clare in 1997.
In 1998, the defeats of the previous two seasons put the managmenet team under pressure to deliver. A successful National League campaign saw Cork reach the final of that competition and defeat Waterford. This success meant that the team went into the championship with great expectations, however, the Munster semi-final saw Clare defeat Cork on a score line of 0-21 to 0-14. For the sixth year in-a-row Cork had failed to make it to the All-Ireland series.
1999 was a make-or-break year for Barry-Murphy, Crowley and Cashman. The manager and selectors introduced a host of new players and one of the youngest Cork teams ever took to the field in the championship. The Munster final saw Cork take on Clare, a team that had defeated them at the semi-final stage in 1997 and 1998. Clare entered the game as the red-hot favourites and as possible All-Ireland contenders, however, a younger Cork team finally triumphed and Cork claimed their first Munster title since 1992. Cork defeated reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly by three points in the All-Ireland semi-final before reaching the championship decider with Kilkenny. The game, played in atrocious conditions, proved to be an anti-climax. Cork were victorious by a single point, 0-13 to 0-12, and the managerial trio had finally led their county back to the All-Ireland title.
In 2000 Cork retained their Munster title after defeating Tipperary. Once again, the experts predicted a Cork-Kilkenny final, however, Offaly were waiting in the All-Ireland semi-final and duly defeated Cork. This was Crowley's last game as a selector as the managerial team disbanded shortly afterwards.