Smith forges her own path from reality TV to Bohs
The majority of Women’s Premier Division players arrive into the league from other clubs or after graduating from their academy, but Ciara Smith has taken a road less travelled.
Fresh from helping Terenure Rangers to the FAI Amateur Cup and a league title last summer, the Dubliner signed up to take part in TG4’s Underdogs last year.
The programme which saw non-LOI players be put through their paces before culminating in a friendly clash with Galway United last November.
Having picked up Player of the Match in that 1-0 defeat, the Dubliner caught the eye of those at Dalymount Park and two months later, put pen to paper on a contractwithBohemians,whoareunder new manager Ken Kiernan this season.
She admits doubts creeped in during pre-season as to whether she could meet the demands of the top-flight football, but credits Bohs for welcoming her with open arms ahead of the 2024 campaign.
This is not her first experience playing League of Ireland football, however. “I played in the league 10 years ago, with Shamrock Rovers and then Peamount United,” said Smith (right), ahead of Bohemians’ home clash with Treaty United tomorrow week.
“There have been other opportunities (since) but it was something I didn’t want to do at that stage. I did love playing with Terenure and I wanted to win the league with them. Last year I said I’d give it one more season and thankfully it paid off. We won the All-Ireland, Leinster and the league so I was happy with that but I’m also grateful for this opportunity now.
“I have been settling in great. It was a tough adjustment going from training once a week to now three times a week. That side of it was quite hard, but I’m loving it. The step up was something I wanted to do.
“You always have self-doubt creeping in. Fitness-wise, I was doing well but I had to work to get up to the speed of play. The League of Ireland is quite aggressive and you don’t have as much time on the ball than you’d have with Terenure, so it was just about bringing myself up to that.
“It was a difficult step-up but it was something I was prepared to give my time and focus to. I like the intensity, that aggressive side of football. I think it was the mental side that I had to adapt to the most, being able to say to myself ‘I’m well able for this’.”
Having played in the league a decade ago, Smith has noticed the recent increase in TV and media coverage since returning with Bohs.
The defender was speaking at the launch of TG4’s live coverage of the 2024 Women’s Premier Division and says that such visibility is long-overdue.
“The difference in coverage and in the media side of things has been immense,” said Smith. “It has grown massively but there’s still a lot of work to be done. I do believe more can be done for the women’s side of the game. But TG4 showing the games, it’s brilliant, you would not have seen that 10 years ago. It is long awaited and long deserved.”