Patrick Cronin (born 20 May 1987) is an Irish hurler who plays for Premier Senior Championship club Bishopstown. He played for the Cork senior hurling team for 10 years, during which time he usually lined out at midfield or as a centre-forward.
Cronin began his hurling career at club level with Bishopstown. After a hugely successful underage career, he broke onto the club's top adult team as a 17-year-old in 2004 and enjoyed his greatest success in 2006 when the club won the Premier Intermediate Championship and promotion to the top flight of Cork hurling. Cronin has made over 50 championship appearances in three two grades of adult hurling for the club, while his early prowess also saw him selected for University College Cork and the University of Limerick, with whom he won a Fitzgibbon Cup title.
At inter-county level, Cronin was part of the successful Cork minor team that won back-to-back Munster Championships in 2004 and 2005 before later winning a Munster Championship with the under-21 team in 2007. He joined the Cork senior team in 2006. From his debut, Cronin was ever-present at midfield or centre-forward and made a combined total of 81 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2015. During that time he was part of two Munster Championship-winning teams and was an All-Ireland runner-up as captain of the team in 2013. Cronin's inter-county career came to an end when he was released from the Cork panel in April 2016.
Cronin was nominated for a GAA/GPA All-Star in 2013. At inter-provincial level, he was selected to play in two championship campaigns with Munster, with his sole Railway Cup medal being won in 2013.
Playing career
University College Cork
As a student at University College Cork, Cronin immediately became involved in hurling by becoming a member of the university's freshers' team. He later lined out the college's senior team in the Fitzgibbon Cup.
University of Limerick
On 26 February 2011, Cronin lined out at centre-forward when the University of Limerick faced the Limerick Institute of Technology in the Fitzgibbon Cup final. Cronin scored four points and collected a winners' medal following the 1-17 to 2-11 victory.
Bishopstown
Minor and under-21
Cronin joined the Bishopstown club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. On 1 November 2003, he was at left wing-forward when Bishopstown faced Newtownshandrum in the Premier County Minor Championship final. Cronin scored 1-02 from play in the 5-15 to 2-09 victory.
On 25 October 2004, Cronin lined out in a second successive Premier County Minor Championship final. He scored four points overall, including two frees, and claimed a second successive winners' medal following a 3-10 to 1-09 defeat of St. Martin's in Kilworth.
After an unsuccessful third year in the minor grade, Cronin subsequently progressed onto the Bishopstown under-21 team. On 28 October 2006, he top scored with six when Bishopstown defeated Newtownshandrum by 1-09 to 1-08 to claim the Premier Under-21 A Championship.
On 3 November 2007, Cronin lined out in a second successive Premier Under-21 A Championship final. He scored five points from midfield and collected a second winners' medal following the 2-13 to 1-11 defeat of Carrigaline
Intermediate
On 3 July 2004, having just turned seventeen a short while earlier, Cronin made his first appearance for Bishopstown's intermediate team. He scored three points in the 3-10 to 1-09 defeat by Courcey Rovers.
On 22 October 2006, Bishopstown qualified for the Premier Intermediate Championship final against Carrigtwohill. Cronin top scored with 0-09 and claimed a winners' medal following the 0-20 to 1-11 victory. He also ended the championship as top scorer with 3-36. On 16 December 2006, Cronin was again at midfield when Bishopstown faced Clooney-Quin in the Munster final. He was held scoreless and ended the game on the losing side following a 0-14 to 1-08 defeat.
Senior
On 7 October 2012, Cronin top scored for Bishopstown with 0-06 when the team suffered a 1-15 to 1-13 defeat by Sarsfields in the Cork Senior Championship final. He ended the championship as top scorer with 1-44.
Cork
Minor and under-21
Cronin first played for Cork as a member of the minor team during the 2003 Munster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team as a 15-year-old on 9 April 2003 when he came on as a substitute in Cork's 0-15 to 0-12 defeat of Clare. On 29 June 2003, Cronin was an unused substitute when Cork suffered a 2-12 to 0-16 defeat by Tipperary in the Munster final.