[1] A Cork Examiner obituary stated that his "high fetching, fearlessness, long kicking and clever anticipation put him in a class apart."
Crowley was described in newspaper reports as being one the more "prominent" Clonakilty players, and he ended the game with his first winners' medal after a 0-07 to 0-05 win over Beara.
Crowley had just turned 21-years-old when he was appointed club captain and it was in that role that he guided Clonakilty to the 1942 county final against arch rivals of the time Fermoy.
[3] Crowley handed the team captaincy to Dessie Cullinane for the 1945 championship, however, four-in-a-row proved beyond Clonakilty after a defeat by Fermoy.
The 31-year-old Crowley was now regarded as a veteran of the team and had been switched from centre-back to the full-back line, however, he claimed a seventh championship medal after the 1-04 to 0-04 win over reigning champions Collins.
Crowley retained the midfield berth for the rest of the championship and claimed an All-Ireland medal as partner to Éamonn Young in the 5-02 to 2-02 defeat of Kilkenny in the final.
Cork surrendered their All-Ireland title at the first hurdle with a defeat by Kerry in the 1946 Munster Championship, before losing back-to-back provincial finals to the same opposition over the following two years.
Crowley was switched to the left corner-back position for the 1949 Munster Championship and claimed a third winners' medal after a 3-06 to 0-07 win over Clare in the final.