Ryan Meara, the Irish International

Ryan Meara, the rookie goalkeeper with a thick New York accent, born in Yonkers, schooled in the Bronx and raised in a family of New York firefighters, is set to join the Irish U-21 team, according to the Irish-American newspaper the Irish Voice.

According to the article, Meara already had Irish citizenship.

From Ireland U-21 manager Noel King:

"We were made aware of his eligibility and we spoke to him and his club. He is keen to give it a go. ... He’s playing at a good level, with and against international players. I’ve watched him online and spoken to people who have watched him in action there and the feedback has been good."

A story from the Irish Independent said Meara will play in a friendly against Denmark before suiting up against Italy in a U-21 European Championship qualifying match.

Meara, according to both the Independent and the Voice, is eligible for international duty with Ireland thanks to his grandparents.

UPDATE: As per a story on MLSsoccer.com, the Red Bulls have denied Meara his call up.

From their story:

“I got called in for the U-21s, but the Red Bulls would rather me stay here and focus on continuing to win games here,” Meara told MLSsoccer.com following Tuesday's training. “My main focus is here as well. We have a great team and I think the goal is the MLS Cup, so that’s all I’m focusing on.”