GreenScene » NY Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara declares for Ireland

Home » Featured, International, Irish Abroad

NY Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara declares for Ireland

1 May 2012 2,048 views 12 Comments Written by Ronan

New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara has pledged his international future to the Republic of Ireland, and could make his Irish under-21 debut later this month.

The shotstopper was chosen as the 31st pick of the 2012 Major League Soccer SuperDraft in January, the highest ranked goalkeeper selected. He had impressed NY Red Bulls scouts while playing for Jersey Express Soccer Club in the USL Premier Development League, the fourth tier of US football. Meara was voted the league’s goalkeeper of the season in his first year at the club (2010), and went on to make 28 appearances total in two seasons with Ironbound.

As well as lining out for Jersey Express, Meara had been a member of Fordham University’s varsity soccer team, the Fordham Rams, keeping 31 clean sheets in 78 appearances over three seasons, earning the conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2011. He also had a brief spell at USL PDL side Long Island Rough Riders, as well as trials with English side Reading.

Despite only being drafted at the start of the season, Meara has immediately become Red Bulls’ first choice goalkeeper, helped by the fact that veteran German netminder Frank Rost retired at the end of last season. He made his MLS debut in March, and has played every game since for NY Red Bulls, keeping his first shutout on Saturday against New England Revolution.

The 6 ft 4 in goalkeeper was born in Crestwood, Yonkers, New York, but qualifies for Ireland through his grandparents.

Meara, 21, is expected to be named in Noel King’s Ireland u21 squad to face Denmark on May 28th and Italy on June 4th. Ireland take on Denmark in a friendly international before playing Italy in UEFA Under-21 European Championship 2013 qualifying. “We’ve been following him for a couple of months and then when he started their season as No 1, that was a big statement,” King told the Irish Independent. “He’s a big lad with good hands and he’s a strong kicker.

“He’s coming over for the games at the end of the month. We play Denmark in a friendly before the Italy match, and we’ll have a good look at him then.”

Meara’s New York Red Bulls will play Robbie Keane’s LA Galaxy side at 01.00 Irish time on Sunday morning.

12 Comments »

Fionn said:

What was that useless fella from America who declared from us, haha. I think he had long hair, was top scorer in like… a college league. Played like 10 mins under Stan and was never seen again.

# 1 May 2012 at 3:10 pm

IrishRI said:

American has a long history of churning out top goalkeepers. Let’s home he turns out to be a gem. Given is coming to the end of his careers and we need a successor.

# 1 May 2012 at 3:58 pm

acegrace said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGWcADj1UhE
the highlights from his MOTM game, looks like he has a hard time handling the ball a few times this game but he does clear the ball well. Also, there are highlights from a game against Dallas where he had a few good saves.

# 1 May 2012 at 4:21 pm

Nick said:

Fionn u thinkin of joe lapira?…got a cap cos hed an uncle working for the f(ools) a(nd) i(diots)

# 1 May 2012 at 6:05 pm

Paul said:

Ha, Joe Lapira, I had forgotten about him. In 2011 for a spell he was actually playing in the Indian 2nd division for United Sikkim FC.

Here he is in all his glory for ireland:

http://www.liberosports.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/player/player/Lapira%20Ireland%20PIc.png

# 1 May 2012 at 6:18 pm

Fionn said:

Joe lapira, haha. That’s the one

# 1 May 2012 at 10:10 pm

GreenScene » NY Red Bulls impede Ryan Meara’s Ireland call-up said:

[...] who qualifies through his Irish grandparents, has been the MLS side’s first choice between the posts this season, and the franchise do not [...]

# 2 May 2012 at 8:30 am

John said:

Great. We’re short on decent GK prospects. Wish that we could have got Donovan and Dempsey at the same age.

# 3 May 2012 at 3:52 pm

GreenScene » NY Red Bulls coach: Meara’s Ireland call-up is “stupid” said:

[...] New York Red Bulls coach Hans Backe has admitted that he ordered goalkeeper Ryan Meara to turn down his call-up to the Republic of Ireland under-21s. [...]

# 4 May 2012 at 9:01 am

SBTN said:

Surely better than Darren “5 goals conceded whenever we play rangers” Randolph

# 5 May 2012 at 12:54 pm

Ronan said:

SBTN: What was that?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17878407

# 6 May 2012 at 8:09 am

John said:

Jeeeez… Who cares about Lapira, that was 5 years ago, time to move on. Meara is a class act and it’s always welcome to see someone from outside the almighty English football league system getting Irish attention.

# 11 May 2012 at 2:33 pm