Cronin was added to the Cork senior team in 1943 and ended the season with a Munster Championship title.
After being dropped from the starting fifteen the following year, he won his second provincial medal tin 1945 before ending the season by lining out at right wing-back when Cork claimed the All-Ireland title after a defeat of Cavan in the final.
[1][2][3] Cronin ended the year by captaining his adopted club of Fermoy to the County Championship title.
He won a Railway Cup medal with Munster in 1946, however, a spinal injury soon brought his inter-county career to an end.
[citation needed] Cronin qualified as a national school teacher and worked in Fermoy and Bartlemy before settling in Dublin.