Johnny Crowley (born 21 February 1956) is an Irish former hurler who played as a centre-back at senior level for the Cork county team.
As a selector under manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, he has helped guide Cork to All-Ireland, Munster and National League successes.
In what was rated as the best hurling game of the year, Cork looked likely champions, however, two great saves from Kevin Fennelly in the closing stages saw the Cats seal a 5–13 to 2–19 victory.
Cork continued their provincial dominance in 1976, with Crowley collecting a second Munster medal following a 2–11 to 3–6 win over Clare.
He later collected his first Munster medal as Cork trounced Limerick by 3–15 to 4–5 at the newly-opened Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Wexford had a two-point lead with ten minutes to go, however, three points from Jimmy Barry-Murphy, two from Pat Moylan and a kicked effort from team captain Ray Cummins gave Cork a 2–21 to 4–11 victory.
Seánie O'Leary scored the decisive goal for Cork as the game entered the last quarter, while Martin Coleman brought off a match-winning save from Christy Keogh to foil the Wexford comeback.
Cork secured the provincial title again in 1978 following a narrow 0–13 to 0–11 defeat of Clare, with Crowley picking up a third Munster medal.
Cork secured a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles for the first time in over twenty years, as a Jimmy Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1–15 to 2–8 victory over Kilkenny.
A 2–15 to 0–9 trouncing of Limerick gave the county a record-equalling fifth consecutive provincial title, with Crowley collecting his fourth Munster medal.
Crowley won his sole National Hurling League medal in 1980 following a 4–15 to 4–6 defeat of Limerick in a replay of the final.
The opening eighteen minutes were frantic, however, a Noel Skehan save from a Seánie O'Leary shot inspired Kilkenny.
A brace of goals from Christy Heffernan in two minutes just before the break gave the Cats a commanding 2–11 to 0–7 lead.
[4] The subsequent All-Ireland final on 2 September 1984, played at Semple Stadium in Thurles, saw Cork take on Offaly for the first time ever in championship history.
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.
The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against a Cork team in decline, however, on the day a different story unfolded.
Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy, stymied the Galway attack and helped the Rebels to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory.
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.
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.
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.
Once again, the experts predicted a Cork-Kilkenny final, however, Offaly were waiting in the All-Ireland semi-final and duly defeated Cork.
[6] Following his period as an inter-county selector, Crowley returned to club activity and served as manager of the Bishopstown senior hurling team for a while in the early 2000s.