Dream a reality for Hornet Smith

Reality television is renowned for supplying bursts of fame but Mullingar native Connor Smith has bucked the trend by holding his own for Championship club Watford and the Ireland U21s.

Since his dalliance with the Sky cameras back in 2010 for Football’s Next Star series, in which he finished runner-up, Smith has represented Ireland at the U19 Euro finals and broken into Gianfranco Zola’s side.

A dose of drama even reentered his professional career in May 2012 when Ireland U19 boss Paul Doolin claimed the striker had withdrawn from a squad on grounds of being “too tired”.