The late Tom Crowe It's a sporting image that's forever etched in the mind's eye. Semple Stadium, Thurles, and the 1977 national league final. Kilkenny's Noel Skehan raced off his goal-line, rode a couple of tackles and was intent in belting the sliothar down the field for another one of his hallmark inspirational clearances. However, he failed to shrug off the persistent Tim Crowe, who on bended knees, blocked down Skehan's attempted clearance with his outstretched hurley. As the sliothar spun towards the unguarded net, supporters rose to their feet and it seemed to take an eternity before the ball eventually crossed the line. It was an opportunistic goal which set Clare on their way to back-to-back league titles. However, this week Clare hurling folk learned of Tom Crowe's untimely death. Although domiciled in Kilkenny for many years, where he has been involved with the O'Loughlin Gaels club, the Clonlara man never lost touch with Clare hurling and few could have been happier when the Banner men climbed to the top with All-Ireland success in the mid nineties. Fr Harry Bohan was the Clare hurling manager who "discovered Tom Crowe and selected him on the Clare team for the league final against Kilkenny in 1977. Speaking earlier in the week he said that he was "deeply shocked" at the news of Tom's death and extended sympathy to his family. "He was one of the most genuine people that I ever came across and, in hurling terms, he would literally put his head where no-one else would put their hurley," recalled Fr Bohan. He worked with Teagasc and served as an advisor in Clare after joining in 1972. He went to Rockwell College as a teacher in 1973, before joining the advisory service in Kilkenny in 1975. He went on to build a huge reputation as a dairy advisor and, in 1995, he was appointed as chief agricultural officer (CAO) in Carlow. He died at the age of 56 at St Vincent's Private hospital in Dublin, his remains were removed from McMahon's Funeral Home in Blackwater to St Senan's Church in Clonlara. He is survived by his wife, Bernie, daughters, Eimear, Siobhan, Deirdre and Aoife,brothers and sisters. Tweet

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