Cork hurling: John Cronin would support return of intermediate grade at county level

Divisional and county representation have stood to John Cronin.

In addition to four county senior hurling medals won with Imokilly, the Lisgoold man also boasts All-Ireland junior football and intermediate hurling triumphs with Cork.

The junior football championship as it is currently constituted features Kilkenny, London, New York and a Rest of America side, while the intermediate hurling grade has not been contested since a Cork team featuring Cronin – and current senior Ger Millerick – beat Kilkenny in 2018.

Cronin feels that a resurrection of the competition would be of benefit, especially since the change of the U21 grade to U20.

“The intermediate hurling was definitely very special, to win an All-Ireland that final,” he said.

“I do feel that it’s a disappointment that they’re gone, I think the Munster Council should look at them again, especially if Cork might drive it because Cork always benefited from it down through the years.

You had that special feeling of getting on the bus, going to Thurles or wherever and playing before the senior game.

“They were special days, the crowd was kind of getting in and you could really feel the atmosphere, it was great.

“It might be something that the Munster Council might look at, and that Cork might look to drive again.

“There would be a huge benefit, especially with the U21s going to 20s – there’s a huge gap there now from 20 to 23 or 24, the physicality and everything.

“I was lucky to be involved at a game time, it’s all about fellas taking an interest in you and there were very good management teams there – Paul McCarthy was in charge of the junior team at that time and Liam Hayes from Dromina with the intermediate hurling.

“They put on a great show, fellas bought into it and it made an awful difference, you create a mentality and things like that.

GREAT DAYS

“They were great days and what was brilliant as well at the time was that the club really rowed in behind you.

“I remember people would drive left, right and centre to see matches because there was someone playing from your club. It was great to have that support.”

Cronin won the county with Imokilly in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 but, prior to that, he appeared in the 2011 final for Cork IT against Carrigtwohill.

Currently, the college – now known as MTU Cork – do not take part in the county championship. While Cronin would like to see them re-enter, he understands the changed landscape.

“At the time I started off, 2010, 2011 – I actually played in the 2011 county final – I actually remember meeting Keith [Ricken] in his office and he was looking for me to sign the papers,” he says.

“We had a quite frank discussion, he took an interest in me, in fairness to him. 

I had to work my way on to the team, I didn't get on until about the quarter-final, maybe, before we lost the county final to a great Carrigtwohill team.

“In those days, 14 of the starting 15 were all from Cork and, again, we kind of adopted the mantra of every Monday night that we were going to meet.

“I suppose, maybe the dynamic of the college students has changed; there aren’t as many Cork players at the moment and the schedule mightn't help either as well.

“With the college course as well, we were lucky that a lot of college students chose Cork and they were local, whereas maybe they might be pulling from Tipperary and Limerick and the like now. That kind of pulls from their pool then as well a bit, do you know what I mean?

“But yeah, they were great days with CIT, in fairness. From 2011, we always gave it a good rattle from then on.”