Ryan Meara

Ryan Meara (born November 15, 1990) is a professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.

Ryan Meara
Personal information
Full name Ryan Meara
Date of birth (1990-11-15) November 15, 1990
Place of birth Crestwood, New York, United States
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 New York Red Bulls
Number 18
Youth career
2004–2007 Fordham Prep
2007–2008 Reading
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2011 Fordham Rams
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009 Long Island Rough Riders 10 (0)
2010–2011 Jersey Express 28 (0)
2012– New York Red Bulls 22 (0)
2015 → New York City FC (loan) 1 (0)
2016– New York Red Bulls II 30 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 11, 2019

Career

College and amateur

Meara was raised in Yonkers, New York and attended Fordham Preparatory School before enrolling at Fordham University in 2008. He also trained with Reading of England with their youth academies in July 2007 and February 2008. While at Fordham he made 74 appearances and had 31 clean sheets. His 31 shutouts are a school record. In total, Meara owned nine Fordham University goal keeper records including career games in goal, minutes played, goal against average in a career (0.87) and a single season (0.65 in 2011) and save percentage in a single season (.862 in 2011). In 2010 Meara was named team captain for the Rams. Meara was named All-Atlantic Ten three times before earning conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2011.[1]

During the 2009 season Meara also played for the Long Island Rough Riders of the USL Premier Development League. In 2010, he joined Jersey Express S.C. and was voted the league's goalkeeper of the year as he recorded 8 clean sheets in 12 appearances during the 2010 PDL season.[2] In two years with Jersey Express he made 28 appearances for the club.

Professional

Meara was drafted 31st overall by New York Red Bulls in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft and signed with the club on February 6, 2012.[3] On March 11, Meara started his first game against FC Dallas.[4] On April 28, he recorded his first professional shutout against the New England Revolution.[5] Meara started the first 18 games of the season and emerged as a leading candidate for the MLS Rookie of the Year Award.[6] However, on July 8 he sustained a hip injury during a game which required surgery and ended his season.[7]

On December 11, 2014, New York Red Bulls announced that Meara would be loaned to New York City FC for the 2015 season.[8] After suffering a torn meniscus in preseason training, Meara would make his first start for NYCFC on April 24, 2015. It was his first Major League Soccer appearance after a hip injury ended his rookie season on July 8, 2012, a span of 1,020 days.

Meara returned to the Red Bulls at the conclusion of the 2015 season. On March 26, the New York Red Bulls announced that they had loaned Meara and six other first team players to New York Red Bulls II for their home opener.[9] He went on to make his first appearance for New York Red Bulls II on March 26, appearing as a starter in a 2–2 draw against Toronto FC II.[10] After helping lead New York to the USL regular season title, Meara helped the club advance to the 2016 USL Cup Final by making two saves in a penalty shootout as top-seeded NYRBII defeated second-seeded Louisville City FC 4–3 in the shootout of the Eastern Conference Final.[11] On October 23, 2016, Meara captained New York in a 5–1 victory over Swope Park Rangers in the 2016 USL Cup Final.[12]

On 14 June 2017, Meara led New York to a 1–0 victory over league rival and former club New York City FC in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.[13] On 13 July 2017, Meara in his role as keeper for New York in the Cup led his team to a 1–0 victory over New England Revolution, advancing to the semifinals of the Open Cup.[14]

International

Meara, who qualified for Irish citizenship through his grandparents, was named to the Republic of Ireland U-21 team on April 30, 2012.[15] However, the Red Bulls did not permit him to train with Ireland, despite the fact that the call-up would not require him to miss any MLS games.[16]

In June 2014, Ireland's senior team used Red Bulls' training facilities before a friendly match against Portugal, and Meara joined the Irish for a practice session. Ireland coach Martin O'Neill said he would "keep an eye on things".[17]

Honors

Club

New York Red Bulls

  • MLS Supporters' Shield (2): 2013, 2018

New York Red Bulls II

Career statistics
As of 3 February 2020
Club Season League Domestic Cup League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
New York Red Bulls 2012 180200000200
2013 0020000020
2014 0010004050
2016 0010001020
2017 0050000050
2018 3010000040
2019 1010000020
2020 0000000000
Total 2201300050400
New York City FC (loan) 2015 1000000010
Total 1000000010
New York Red Bulls II (loan) 2016 210004000250
2017 3000000030
2018 4000000040
2019 2000000020
Total 300004000340
Career total 5301304050750
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References
  1. Fordham University Sports profile Archived 2010-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Meara named PDL's top keeper Archived 2012-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Red Bulls sign Ryan Meara
  4. Ryan Meara debuts for Red Bulls.
  5. Meara records first Red Bulls shutout.
  6. 2012 Rookie rankings
  7. Meara undergoes hip surgery
  8. Meara loaned to NYCFC
  9. "New York Red Bulls Loan Seven Players to NYRB II". Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  10. "Allen Leads Red Bulls II Rally in 2-2 Draw". USLSoccer.com.
  11. "Meara, NYRBII Bound for USL Cup Final". uslsoccer.com.
  12. "Allen's Hat Trick Leads Red Bulls II to USL Cup". uslsoccer.com. Retrieved October 23, 2016.
  13. "Red Bulls Knock NYCFC out of U.S. Open Cup". newyorkredbulls.com.
  14. "Red Bulls Defeat 10-men New England, 1-0". newyorkredbulls.com.
  15. Meara chooses Republic of Ireland.
  16. Red Bulls keep Meara in US for European U-21 championship qualifier
  17. McDonnell, Daniel (June 10, 2014). "New York 'keeper Ryan Meara back on Irish radar after training call". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
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