CIARA SMITH STOOD in front of the TG4 cameras one last time as the Underdogs adventure came to an end.
She had turned in a Player of the Match performance in a 1-0 defeat to Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park, undoubtedly piquing interest across the Women’s League of Ireland.
Smith was asked about a potential move after putting herself in the shop window through the renowned TV series. “You never know what could happen,” she said, rounding off a diplomatic answer.
Exactly two months later, she signed for Bohemians.
✍️ Bohemian FC is delighted to confirm the signing of defender Ciara Smith: https://t.co/JR62X2qlXB
— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) February 2, 2024
❤️🖤 Welcome to Dalymount Park, @CiaraL_Smith. pic.twitter.com/AVkPdleBKo
Having almost not applied for the show because of the Irish language element, the former Terenure Rangers star is now back in the League of Ireland after a 10-year hiatus.
“I’m delighted,” Smith, who previously played for Shamrock Rovers and Peamount United, tells The 42.
“It was such a great opportunity, I definitely couldn’t have said no to it. The Underdogs just gave me a taste for a new challenge. I wanted to basically push myself that little bit further, coming from Terenure Rangers, and just explore a new challenge, a new avenue and see where it takes me.
“It’s tough, I have to say, trying to find my feet and balance everything at the moment, but I am enjoying it.”
The move unfolded in the wake of that Galway game. Bohs manager Ken Kiernan reached out, and ultimately staved off interest from another club as his plans at Dalymount Park won Smith over.
“When I got asked in the interview after the game would I think about it, it hadn’t even crossed my mind at that moment,” the 30-year-old centre-back says.
“My full focus was on the Underdogs at that point and that game.
“Afterwards, I spoke to Ken alongside another manager that had shown interest in me to join their team. Ken shared his vision with me and wanted me to be in the team, and I knew I wanted to be part of it.”
While Smith last featured in the League of Ireland with Peamount in 2014, she excelled at a lower level in recent years. She represented Terenure over the past two seasons, “taking that extra step” from Eastern Women’s Football League counterparts TEK United.
After they finished second in her maiden campaign, Terenure went on to win the league unbeaten in 2023, as well as the FAI Women’s Amateur Cup and EWFL Premier Cup. It proved the perfect send-off for Smith, who departs as Player of the Year.
“I probably wouldn’t have done as well in school if I didn’t have football”
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) November 23, 2023
Ciara Smith ar an tábhacht a bhí ag sacar ina saol agus í ag fás aníos@ADAREtelly @LoiWomen @EirGrid #UnderdogsTG4 pic.twitter.com/4XVmizNguE
There was no shortage of Terenure representation on the Underdogs. The TV series, which began in a GAA capacity, invited women’s football players who had never played at senior international level, or in the LOI in the last three years, to put themselves forward for nationwide trials in a bid make the final squad and prove themselves against the best.
From a “daunting” first camp to facing All-Island Cup champions Galway United, and growing comfortable on camera in between, the experience was a whirlwind.
“When I look back on it now and reflect, it’s actually mad to see how much we done within those six months,” Smith says. “There was so much team bonding events from washing cows to the Curragh Army Camp, which was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been involved in, mentally and physically.
“It was all to build the team. When you look at a group of players that had never played together, to be able to compete against Galway and really put it up to them and just get defeated narrowly, I think that’s an achievement in itself. Some teams are years trying to build and get to a certain goal and standard, and we done it in a limited time.
“After the match, I was so proud. To share that with the girls, and my family seeing everything that I’d gone through with the Underdogs the past few months and the commitment I put into it, the way I faced challenges head-on and then to be able to show results at the end, was just really special to me.”
Smith was a central character through the programme, speaking brilliantly about her love for both football and family as she shared her story. She echoes those sentiments to The 42 a few months on.
“Football is definitely my anchor in my whole life. It navigates me through many situations, as I’m sure it does for other people. The other side of that is that my family are always there to push me on. They’re heavily involved in my sporting career and [are] always so supportive of me, and that gives me a drive. Seeing how proud they are of me pushes me that little bit more to do better.”
Aside from the move to Bohemians, another interesting opportunity has arisen from the Underdogs. Smith, whose day job is as an operations manager for Home Instead Ireland, has joined the Defence Forces’ Reserves.
The weekend of the Curragh Army Camp, the team played against the Defence Forces and after catching the eye, the opposition’s coach gauged her interest in joining up. Smith was past the maximum age of enlistment for the Permanent Defence Forces, but could put her hand up for the Reserves. She has since lined out for the football team, scoring two goals and earning the Player of the Match award on her debut in a 3-3 draw against Belgium.
“The Underdogs came with so many opportunities and it’s something that I have to be so grateful for. One takeaway for myself is to never say no to anything. I thought you actually had to speak Irish for the Underdogs so I wasn’t interested in being part of it until I learned you don’t actually have to speak Irish. If you look at it now, the amount of opportunities and doors that it opened for me, it’s just amazing.”
Onwards. Many more ahead.
Smith’s journey is a fascinating one, and it’s sure to continue on an upward trajectory as she looks to hit the ground running with Bohs.
“I’m buzzing for the league to start,” she concludes. “I was involved in the League of Ireland many years ago with Shamrock Rovers and Peamount, I understand the intensity and the emotional side that comes with the games.
“It’s a tough league, all teams look very strong this year. What we want to do is just improve. We’ve all worked so hard in pre-season to get to the point that we’re now at. It’s pretty heavy going, especially for myself who trained once a week with Terenure to now training three times a week, intense sessions, and a match on the weekend, but it’s great.
“With the league starting in a month’s time, I’m really excited to see how it will all play out.”
