Ryan Meara

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	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	New York Red Bulls
Number	18
Youth career
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	18	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 16, 2012. † Appearances (Goals).

Ryan Meara (born November 15, 1990 in Yonkers, New York) is an Irish-American soccer player currently playing for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. A talented goalkeeper who has a physical resemblance to NBA legend Larry Bird, Meara is known for his "command of the box and confidence to come off his line when necessary."^[1]

Career

College and amateur

Meara 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 owns 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.^[2]

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

International

Meara, who qualifies for Irish citizenship through his grandparents, was named to the Republic of Ireland U-21 team on April 30, 2012.^[9] 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.^[10] Under FIFA regulations, the Red Bulls are not obligated to release Meara because the request did not come from a senior national team.

Honours

Club

New York Red Bulls

• MLS Supporters' Shield: 2013

Career statistics

All-time club performance

Club	Season	Major League Soccer		US Open Cup		MLS Cup		CONCACAF		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
New York Red Bulls	2012	18	0	2	0	-	-	-	-	20	0
	2013	-	-	2	0	-	-	-	-	2	0
Club Total	18	0	4	0	-	-	-	-	22	0

See also

• List of current MLS players

References

External links

• MLS player profile
• Fordham Rams bio