It was Smyth's first silverware with the Clare senior hurling team. The following year Smyth's side dominated the provincial championship. Defeats of Cork and Tipperary led to Clare being installed as the favourites to take the Munster crown for the first time since 1932. Limerick provided the opposition and went on to defeat an optimistic Clare side by 2–15 to 2–6. Smyth added a Thomond Feis medal to his collection in 1956 as Clare won the pre-season warm-up tournament. In late 1964 Smyth dropped out of the Clare team. This was surprising as he was just as prolific as ever, scoring 16–27 for Clare in seven outings in 1963. His retirement from the inter-county scene at this stage was premature but he returned to play for the Clare intermediate team in 1966 before making a return to the Clare senior team in 1967. That year he lined out in his second ever Munster decider. A 4–12 to 2–6 defeat by Tipperary brought the curtain down on Smyth's inter-county career. Smyth also had the honour of lining out with Munster in the inter-provincial series of games. He first lined out for the team in 1952 and was an unused substitute as Munster claimed the Railway Cup that year. By 1955 Smyth had made his way onto the starting fifteen. He won his first Railway Cup medal on the field of play that year as Munster defeated Connacht by 6–8 to 3–4. After surrendering their title in 1956, Munster bounced back the following year with Smyth lining out in the forwards. A 5–7 to 2–5 defeat of Leinster gave him his second Railway Cup medal. It was the first of five successive Railway Cup titles for Munster with Smyth playing a prominent role in all of those successes. Six-in-a-row proved beyond Munster, however, the province reached the Railway Cup decider again in 1963. A narrow 2–8 to 2–7 defeat of Leinster in a replay gave Smyth his seventh Railway Cup medal on the field of play and an eight over all. It was also his last appearance for Munster. Born in Ruan, County Clare, Smyth received his first schooling at Kells National School, where his mother was a teacher and hurling enthusiast. His uncle had lined out as a hurler for Clare. Smyth later received his secondary schooling at St Flannan's College in Ennis.