Vaulting ambition
December 31, 2000
Sean Boylan has shown time and time again that there's no glass ceiling policy in place when it comes to giving youngsters their head. Moynalty young gun Stephen Smith is ready, willing and able to be a Boylan Babe.
If ambition was the only criterion for gaining selection on one of the country's leading football teams, then Moynalty's Stephen Smith would be an automatic selection on the Royal County's premier foot#ball side.
In these days of multiple sporting options and a la carte athletes, it is refreshing to discover the sort of single-minded determination and tunnel vision which makes young Smith stand out from his peers.
Arguably the most impressive performer in Meath under 21s Leinster championship 2000 campaign, he's long-since been fingered as one for the future.
Indeed, while most twenty-somethings can take or leave the business of playing football at a high level, the likeable Moynalty clubman displays the sort of dedication and resolve which is sure to make him a regular with his beloved Meath seniors in the not-too-distant future.
Smith is one of Meath's clever, talented young guns and if he becomes one of Sean Boylan's key men over the next few seasons, there'll be nobody more delighted than the Moynalty defender himself.
"It has always been my ambition to play for Meath at every level possible. It should be every player's ambition to play for his county, especially at the highest level and that's the way I've approached things all over the years."
The son of a Crosserlough-born dad and a Castlerahan-born mother, Stephen was thus bound to have a liking for the Gaelic game but he was destined to shine in the green and gold rather than the Royal Blue of his parents' beloved Cavan.
"I remember when Meath played Cavan in the All-Ireland under 21 semi-final in Roscommon a couple of years ago, my father was cheering on Cavan and I was rooting for Meath of course. It made for good craic but, thankfully, he's been on Meath's side ever since.
"Who knows what side he'll be cheering on if we meet Cavan again though!"
Cavan's loss was to be Moynalty and Meath's gain. A nephew of former Moynalty and county star Willie Flanagan, the young Smith took to underage fare in the north Meath village like magpies to the surrounding fields after the last of the exhibitors at the steam threshing fair have gone.
Stephen describes his father Charlie as a "football fanatic" and cites him as the greatest influence in his career to date.
However, one surmises that even without his dad's helpful encouragement, the would-be senior panelist would have gotten the football bug for he's a natural athlete and in rural Meath, athletes and the local football club make for ready bedfellows.
Still, Stephen - the only boy in the Smith household - had to earn his burgeoning reputation at underage ranks by merit not by any God-given right or inherited gift.
Success at under 12 and under 14 duly came his way and in 1994, he took his first steps on the bigger stage by commanding a place on the Meath under 14 team alongside other wannabes such as Ronan Fitzsimons, current Meath senior. Interestingly, Stephen expresses a degree of surprise that more players didn't progress up the county ranks from that under 14 panel.
"I thought more would have come through. It was a good squad but competition is so tight in Meath that there's always a lot of changes in personnel from one year to the next and, no matter what level you play at for Meath, you're up against a lot of competition and you have to be very consistent.
"I've seen a lot of cases whereby a player can get his place on a county team in one particular year but loses it the following year because someone else has improved that much in the space of 12 months," Stephen maintains.
He's acutely aware of the depth of talent there is in Meath. Like many another good 'un, he was reared on a diet of going to Croke Park to witness the Royals invariably romp to victory at provincial or national level.
"Meath's a great GAA county but all the success that's been achieved over the last 20 years or so has definitely helped inspire a lot of youngsters to play the game and to want to play for Meath - that was the way it was for me when I was younger.
"I've only got a taste of what it's like to play for my county on big occasions and I'd like some more of the same," Stephen avers.
He hopes to enjoy successful times with the Meath seniors and he doesn't mind where or when he gets on the team.
His preferred position is full back but he has been used on Meath underage teams in a variety of defensive positions. Like a good Royal County foot-soldier, he's ready, willing and able to step it out anywhere, anytime for the good of the team.
"My aim is to get a regular place on the Meath senior team and I don't care where I play initially but, long-term, I'd like to play at full back - that's where I'm more comfortable and where I think I can perform best of all."
But there is the small matter of shifting a certain Mr. Fay from that berth?
"A full back needs to be able to read the game well, to show good speed off the mark and to have a good pair of hands while showing leadership and responsibility . . . and Darren certainly has all those attributes, no doubt about that.
"It will be very hard to displace him (Fay) because he has the build and the strength to carry on in that position for a very long time but, some day, I'd like to chance to prove myself in the fullback position for Meath.
"Either way, I've no problem about acting as his understudy. I'm prepared to be patient and wait my chance. In the short-time though, I'd like to get on the team in some position," the eloquent 21-year old adds.
Still learning his football trade, Stephen is enthusiastic, eager to learn and ambitious. Throughout the years, he's been afforded considerable advice and help in his bid to embellish his natural talent and football nous.
"I thought a lot of Robbie O'Malley as a selector at under 21 level. He was a role model as a defender for the likes of me and at under 21 level, I found his advice and encouragement very helpful.
"I used to stand a step or two behind my man during the game but Robbie advised me to stand in front of my man more often and I've found it a lot easier to be in front for the ball and I've gained in confidence as a result."
Stephen's confidence has hardly been higher. He acknowledges that 2000 was his best year to date and over the course of his displays with Moynalty and against Dublin, Longford, Laois and Westmeath in the provincial under 21 championship, he proved that he has what it takes to be a part of the Meath senior panel in the coming seasons.
Looking ahead to the new, upcoming season, Stephen says he'll settle for another injury-free, personally satisfying year for club and, hopefully, county.
"I don't like to put any time scale on things like making it with the county seniors but I'm going to try and play consistently well with Moynalty and try and help them do that bit better this year. If my form is good at club level, my chances of getting noticed at county level will be a lot better.
"We've a lot of good footballers at Moynalty but we need to push ourselves more if we are to realise the potential within the club.
"Beating St. Michaels to avoid relegation was a relief and it proved that when it's put up to us we can do the business but we should be aiming higher. Maybe with a more dedicated push all year long, we can do a lot better in the coming season.
"It would help every player in Moynalty if we began realising our potential as a team. It would put us more in the shop window and that wouldn't do anyone any harm in terms of getting noticed by county selectors. There are several players at the club who have county potential," he enthuses.
Having won a Leinster junior championship medal in '99, Stephen Smith has already tasted the sweet smell of success with the Royals.
He makes no secret of the fact that he fancies a bit more of the same. Would you bet against him achieving his goal in that respect?
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