Fermanagh attacker Eimear Smyth was honoured to be named as the Junior Championship Player of the Year for 2020, with the Derrygonnelly star picking up the award after playing a leading role in the Erne side’s Championship success.

Smyth was announced as the winner last Saturday night, seeing off team-mate Joanne Doonan and Wicklow’s Meadhbh Deeney to the top prize.

“I’m absolutely honoured and humbled to pick it up, especially as it is voted for by the other players – that definitely makes it that bit more special.

“It is a proud day for my club, and my family as well,” said Smyth, who also acknowledged her team-mates’ role in her winning the award.

“Individual awards are obviously nice to get, and are a bonus at the end of the season, but I know that it is a team game and I wouldn’t be getting this award without my team-mates and all the coaching, medical and backroom staff who have really helped us throughout the year.

“It was a collective effort and, as I say, it is nice to get the individual award [but] you wouldn’t get it without your team-mates,” she stated.

Smyth was also named in the Junior Team of the Championship where she was joined by four of her Fermanagh team-mates, including goalkeeper Shauna Murphy, defender Sarah McCarville, midfielder Roisin O’Reilly and forward Aisling Maguire.

Indeed, Smyth feels that a number of other team-mates were unfortunate to miss out.

‘Really solid performances’

“Those girls were massively deserving of making the team and put in really, really solid performances throughout the year, so credit to the girls.

“Some people thought we maybe deserved a few more, and there were girls close enough in the running to get a spot in the team who didn’t get it.

“I think that just shows the strength in depth that we have, that we have girls who are disappointed not to make the team of the year,” she added.

2020 was a tough year for everybody as Covid-19 took effect, but Smyth believes that the work put in on their own during lockdown paid off for Fermanagh as they landed the All-Ireland crown, defeating Wicklow in the final at Parnell Park.

“2020 was something that nobody had ever experienced before, and it was difficult, but throughout the lockdown we applied ourselves really well and we put in a really good block of work individually, which was tough.

“I thought the work we did in the lockdown period really stood to us as the season commenced, and we were able to push on and get over the line.”

She is hopeful that the squad can push on further in 2021 and make their mark at Intermediate level.

“One of the main goals at the start of last year was to get out of the Junior Championship and get back playing Intermediate football, as we want to play at a higher level and test ourselves at the higher level.

“Playing Division Three football last year was a massive help, and we were competitive in that division, so I think we can give Intermediate Ulster and the All-Ireland a run.

“We know that we can compete at that level and, hopefully, we can show that this year,” said the Derrygonnelly player.