Geraldine crowned ulsters finest young player

Damian McCarney

A Killygarry teenager has capped a remarkable year for the women’s game in the county by being crowned the best young footballer in Ulster.
Geraldine Smith (16) was presented with her TG4 Ladies Football Ulster Young Player of the Year Award at a gala bash, attended by over 800 in Citywest Hotel, Dublin, on Saturday night (November 8).
Cavan ladies have won a remarkable juvenile treble in the Ulster A Championship this year, claiming U14s, U16s and Minor titles. Playing for the U16s Geraldine’s saved her best performance of the year for the Ulster Final. She was instrumental in the win over Tyrone, setting up many scores and accruing a whopping 1-4 herself.
“It is such an honour,” enthused Geraldine of the award. “I am so shocked. It was the best feeling I could ever have.”
The star forward follows in the footsteps of U16 county team-mate Nessa Byrd, who won the award last year. A measure of this back-to-back win for the county is shown by the fact the previous Cavan winner was Aisling Doonan, approximately a decade ago.
“I didn’t expect it at all because Nessa won it last year and I didn’t think it would come back to Cavan,” she said.
Proud mum Teresa, a former camogie player, is thrilled for Geraldine.
“It is something we will never forget, it was such a wonderful experience,” said Teresa. “She was stunned and shocked, when she found out. The publicity she got, the compliments and congratulations, has been unbelievable. She would never have expected it.”
The Loreto pupil is already back into training with the county minor team to prepare for what they hope will be another successful year. Teresa hopes Geraldine will continue to develop and in time will follow in the footsteps of her sister, Caitriona, and make the senior panel.
Geraldine is confident that in time Cavan Senior Ladies will benefit from this new batch of exciting talent coming through.
“There are definitely young players coming up in the ranks, it was a great year for Cavan. It was their first Minor A,” said Geraldine.
As well as playing for Killygarry’s senior team, Geraldine is a key player in Loreto College’s plans to challenge for provincial silverware.