Kilkenny hurling supporters throughout the county and elsewhere were saddened last week when they heard of the passing of Mick Crotty, one of the county’s finest hurlers during the seventies.
The James Stephens clubman enjoyed great success with Kilkenny, winning four senior All-Ireland medals, one National Hurling League medal, and was named as an All-Star in 1974. He was chosen as an All-Star “for his ability at playing on both the left and right wing, and for his flair and earnestness that he displayed in attack.”
Mick who had played minor hurling with Kilkenny in 1963 and 1964 without medal success, and won his first medal with Kilkenny with the Nore-siders in the Oireachtas Final of 1969. This competition, which ceased in 1999, was usually played shortly after the All-Ireland final by the All-Ireland finalists.
Mick Crotty had many great days with both Kilkenny and James Stephens, when he scored many vital goals and points. Many of these scores are worth remembering, but the vital point that he scored for Kilkenny at the very end of the drawn Leinster final against Wexford in 1972 has to be the real stand out score. He hit the ball over the bar from fifty yards while surrounded by three Wexford players. This score earned Kilkenny a replay, and it is hard to believe that the final score in that 1972 Leinster final was 6-13 each, and then Kilkenny won the replay, and of course the All-Ireland against Cork. This earned Mick his first All-Ireland medal, with Kilkenny scoring 2-9 without reply in the last twenty minutes to win what is still regarded as one of the greatest finals ever.
I also well remember with joy, Mick Crotty’s wonderful long hand pass to Eddie Keher, who then scored Kilkenny’s second half goal during the 1975 All-Ireland final against Galway. This was not Mick’s only contribution on that particular day in Croke park as he scored no less than five points himself to round off an almost perfect display.
Mick Crotty was also part of the great Kilkenny team which demolished Clare in the National Hurling League final of 1976, with Michael O’Hehir writing an article a couple of weeks afterwards under the headline ‘Are Kilkenny going to take over?’. That situation seemed very likely at the time following Kilkenny’s great win over Clare, but sadly it was not to be, as they went down badly against Wexford in the Leinster final just a few short weeks afterwards, on one of the warmest days ever at 28- 29 Centigrade in Croke Park.
Wexford also dominated Kilkenny in Leinster in 1977, but 1978 was different. Kilkenny were in some trouble for a while in the Leinster final, but the introduction of Mick Crotty at the interval proved to be a master stroke. He played really well during that second period, with Matt Ruth tipping the ball to the Wexford net after Pat Nolan had parried a wonderful strike by Crotty. Kilkenny won that Leinster final by a single goal, but later went down to Cork in the All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny were never down for too long, and they returned to win the Leinster final the following year with Crotty having a fine game at full forward. He then collected his fourth and last All-Ireland senior medal when Kilkenny again defeated Galway in that year of 1979.
Mick, however, was far from finished playing hurling, as he also enjoyed great success with his beloved James Stephens during this period. He had the satisfaction of being part of the Village team that won the County final in 1975 and who went on to win the club All-Ireland in 1976. This was a notable victory by James Stephens as they became the first Leinster team at the time to win the club All-Ireland title. The Kilkenny City club were also victorious in the county final of 1981, and then went on to win the Club All-Ireland title again with Mick collecting his second club All-Ireland medal.
Mick Crotty who enjoyed a very successful hurling career with both Kilkenny and James Stephens was a younger brother of Kieran who at the age of 20 played full back on the successful Dicksboro County final team of 1950. This meant that 31 years separated Kieran’s county final win of 1950, and Mick’s win with James Stephens in 1981.
Mick Crotty “won two county Senior Championship finals in 1969, one with UCC earlier in the year when he was a student there,and the second with James Stephens later on.”
Mick, who has gone to his eternal reward, is sadly missed by his wife Evelyn, and family Paddy, Catherine, Mick, Olivia, and James, and siblings Patricia, Pat, Nuala, Bernard and Jim as well as 15 grandchildren, in-laws, and many neighbours and friends. A large crowd attended his removal from his home on last Monday morning and also for his Requiem Mass in St Patrick’s Church Kilkenny. Later, he was laid to rest in St Kieran’s cemetery.
L.J.B.
Kneeling: J McCormack, J Byrne, P Brennan, T Hogan, B Leahy.
Sitting: S Brennan, M Neary, S Tyrrell, L Tyrrell, J O’Brien, W Cody, B Madigan, B Walton, F Larkin.
Standing: M Flynn, D Brennan, J Hennessy, M Moore, J Leahy, D Collins, D McCormack, B Cody , E Kelly, B Brennan, A Larkin,
Back: J McCarthy, JJ Cullen, T Brennan, M Hennessy, T McCormack, A Egan, P Neary, M Crotty, M Leahy, V Malone
Back: Brian Cody, Tom McCormack, Mick Crotty, Pat Henderson, Eddie Keher, Frank Cummins, Pat Delaney, Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin.
Front: Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien, Noel Skehan, Billy Fitzpatrick (captain), Mick ‘Cloney’ Brennan, Pat Lawlor, Kieran Purcell, Nickey Orr.
(Photo with thanks to The Stripy Men: Kilkenny Hurling History)
