Johnny Crowley

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Johnny Crowley (born 21 February 1956) is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Cork in the 1970s and 1980s.

Johnny Crowley was born in Enniskeane County Cork in 1956. His hurling skills were quickly noted and he soon made his way onto the Cork minor team where he won an All-Ireland Minor medal in 1974. Crowley quickly made the step up onto the under-21 side where he won an All-Ireland Under-21 title in 1976. That same year he made his senior debut, winning a Munster Championship, as well as his first senior All-Ireland medal. It was the beginning of a golden era for Cork hurling, with Crowley playing a key role over the next decade.

Crowley won a further three successive Munster titles in 1977, 1978 and 1979, as well as completing a famous three-in-a-row of All-Ireland victories in 1976, 1977 and 1978. Crowley was noted as being one of the original centre-backs, a no-nonsense uncompromising hurler. More success was to come Crowley's way in the 1980s when he won five Munster titles with Cork in-a-row between 1982 and 1986, while winning his fourth and fifth All-Ireland medals in 1984 and 1986. He retired in 1987 after winning virtually every honour in the game, including an All Star Award in 1984. He was a selector with Jimmy Barry-Murphy in 1999 when Cork won the All-Ireland title once again.