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Listen: Coopers podcast interviews LouCity's O'Connor, Duffy
The 93rd edition of Barrel Proof, the official podcast of Louisville City FC’s largest supporters group, the Louisville Coopers, wrapped up the 2016 season along with players Tuesday night from Over the 9.
Those interviewed include a handful of players, as well as coach James O’Connor and club president Amanda Duffy. The conversations begin at the 17:40 mark with striker Chandler Hoffman.
“We meet the players tomorrow, and then we keep going,” O’Connor said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do in the offseason.”
Listen in the player below or on the Coopers’ website: http://bit.ly/2egJkUh.
LouCity players 'feel like brothers' after competing in 2016
Louisville City FC coach James O’Connor said he’ll need some time to digest it, the disappointment of such a successful season suddenly ending.
“I’m incredibly proud of the guys,” O’Connor said outside the locker room at Red Bull Arena, where on Sunday LouCity played the New York Red Bulls II to an even, 1-1 score through 120-plus minutes. New York prevailed in a penalty kick shootout to advance in the Eastern Conference Final.
Aside from the start of the second half, when LouCity found itself “pinned in” defensively, the boys in purple seemed to play with an edge. They out-shot the Red Bulls II 13-11, overcame a change in goalkeepers and lasted after a red card was disaplayed in the second extra time period.
“You take out that, maybe, 25-minute period,” O’Connor said of the second half, “and for me, we’re the better team. We shouldn’t have lost the game. That’s not sour grapes. I just felt like the way the game went, we were creating better chances and really getting at them.”
Still, LouCity’s playoff run ended after two victories, first over the Richmond Kickers and then the Charleston Battery. The club, which went 17-4-9 during the regular-season, advanced to the Eastern Conference Final for a second straight year.
LouCity was also the final independent side left playing in the 29-team USL, with all others in the conference finals owned or operated by Major League Soccer franchises.
“It was a great season,” said team captain Aodhan Quinn. “From the beginning in Florida, where we had preseason, we’ve grown so much together. We feel like brothers out there. We fight for each other so hard. Trainings are intense but, obviously, that’s why we did so well during the season. You can see it on Saturdays when we play.
“We played for each other out there. Couldn’t be prouder of the guys in (the locker room). It was great to play with them. It was great to compete with them every single day. We’re best friends for life now.”
Much of LouCity’s roster from Year 1 carried over to Year 2. O’Connor will begin sorting out personnel for 2017 as soon as this week.
As for what’s left of the postseason, New York will host the Western Conference champs, the Swope Park Rangers, at 8 p.m. Sunday in the USL Cup Final on ESPNU.
“We wish them the very best of luck,” O’Connor said of the Red Bulls. “Hopefully they go on and win it, because they’ve had an exceptional season. But I couldn’t be more proud of all our guys. I think the effort they put out — fantastic — just didn’t deserve that (Sunday), that’s for sure.”
Ranjitsingh on the mend: Starting LouCity goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh fell to the ground early in the second half of Sunday’s Eastern Conference Final but appeared poised to remain in the game after receiving treatment. Following one more sequence in play, he had to give in, leaving in the 52nd minute.
Scott Ritter, LouCity’s athletic trainer, said Ranjitsingh suffered a groin strain and is “hopeful” Ranjitsingh could return to 100 percent in a matter of weeks. Trinidad and Tobago, the home nation of Ranjitsingh’s father, called the keeper up in September for a pair of World Cup qualifiers. The Caribbean nation has more scheduled for November.
Ranjitsingh will heal up in his native Canada while waiting on another international call.
Quinn in the zone: Overshadowed by LouCity’s defeat, Quinn, a midfielder, delivered one of his best performances of the year in the Eastern Conference Final. After setting up Paco Craig’s header goal in the 11th minute, Quinn looped another free kick into the box just before the game went to penalties. Craig’s head also found that one, but the finish wasn’t on goal.
“I felt good,” Quinn said. “I think I’ve been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks. On the set pieces, we knew we would have a chance, especially with Paco, Tarek (Morad) and Guy (Abend) as well in there. We have guys who want to get their head on the ball. It was just up to me to get the ball in the right spot.”
Suspensions extended: The USL discpline report released Monday extended the suspension for LouCity defender Sean Reynolds that will carry over to the 2017 season. Reynolds will now miss the first three games rather than just one after receiving a red card in the 105th minute for a “two-footed tackle.”
Craig, who was sent off for receiving two yellows in Sunday’s game against the Red Bulls II, will also miss next year’s season opener.
LouCity falls to New York in playoff penalty shootout
HARRISON, N.J. — Louisville City FC’s bid for a United Soccer League championship ended Sunday night in dramatic fashion, with the New York Red Bulls II the winners of a penalty kick shootout in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Red Bulls II, also the East’s regular-season winner, netted their first four penalties to sweep after the clubs played to a 1-1 draw throughout regulation and extra time.
“I’m exceptionally proud of the guys tonight,” said LouCity coach James O’Connor. “The effort and quality they showed — incredible. Just a really, really rough way to lose. Really disappointed for the players, because the players don’t deserve that. The players have given everything throughout the course of the season, gave everything again tonight, and I feel like they’ve been completely shortchanged.
“It happens sometimes in life. It’s a cruel, cruel way for us to finish the season, that’s for sure.”
LouCity survived at Red Bull Arena while playing down a man for 15 minutes after defender Sean Reynolds received a straight red card for a tackle in the first overtime session. New York was displayed one as well in the 118th, sending both sides to 10 players apiece.
The scoring was done much earlier, first in the 11th minute when team captain Aodhan Quinn bent a free kick into the box. Paco Craig found the other end of it, heading a shot past Red Bulls keeper Ryan Meara.
It wasn’t until the 42nd minute that New York attempted a shot, a screamer off the foot of Vincent Bezecourt from distance. The equalizer came in the 74th when Bezecourt lined a free kick into the box. It, too, found, found a teammate’s head, and Florian Valot earned credit for the goal.
By then, LouCity had to pull starting goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh, who subbed out early in the second half with a groin injury. Tim Dobrowolski, a rookie who posted a clean sheet Sept. 3 in his only other appearance, stepped in.
From there, both clubs — the Nos. 1 and 2 Eastern Conference seeds — failed to break through, though it wasn’t for lack of trying.
“We lost to a terrific team,” Quinn said. “Obviously, I think we were the two top teams in the league. If it wasn’t going to be us, it was probably going to be New York Red Bulls II. That’s all we can say about that.”
Quinn connected again with Craig on a set piece at the end of regulation, but the shot wasn’t on frame. In the 98th minute. New York lined a cross through the 6-yard box that didn’t have a finishing touch.
Craig, booked for two yellows, was sent off after the 120th minute. The ensuing free kick came up empty, and the league semifinal went to penalty kicks.
Meara came up with a save on LouCity’s first attempt, by Cameron Lancaster shot to the keeper’s right. From there, the Red Bulls II drilled four straight, moving on for the second straight round via a shootout win.
“I think we’re both the best teams in the league,” Quinn said. “It’s unfortunate that we lost them, but we wish them all the best.”
New York will host Western Conference champion Swope Park Rangers at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, in the USL Cup Final on ESPNU.
For a second straight season, LouCity advanced to the conference final. Last year, the boys in purple fell to the eventual USL champion Rochester Rhinos.
Game Summary
Match: New York Red Bulls II vs. Louisville City FC
Date: Oct. 16, 2016
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m.
Weather: Clear, 68 degrees
Lineups
Louisville City FC: 13-Greg Ranjitsingh (52′ 28-Tim Dobrowolski), 24-Kyle Smith, 15-Sean Reynolds, 18-Paco Craig, 6-Tarek Morad, 8-Guy Abend, 4-Aodhan Quinn, 7-Kadeem Dacres (70′ 12-Mark-Anthony Kaye), 10-Magnus Rasmussen (106′ 2-Ben Newnam), 22-George Davis IV (81′ 77-Andrew Lubahn), 17-Chandler Hoffman (64′ 9-Cameron Lancaster).
Subs not used: 14-Ilija Ilic, 36-Paolo DelPiccolo.
Head coach: James O’Connor
New York Red Bulls II: 18-Ryan Meara, 46-Kevin O’Toole (64′ 41-Konrad Plewa), 33-Aaron Long, 17-Zach Carroll (120’+ 45-Zoumana Simpara), 37-Davis Najem, 4-Tyler Adams (97′ 80-Devon Williams), 36-Dan Metzger, 88-Vincent Bezecourt, 7-Derrick Etienne, 21-Brandon Allen, 47-Florian Valot (96′ 29-Stefano Bonomo, 106′ 39-Tim Schmoll).
Subs not used: 74-Rafael Diaz, 70-Benjamin Mines.
Head coach: John Wolyniec
Stats – New York / LouCity
Shots: 11 / 13
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 7
Fouls: 15 / 20
Offside: 2 / 4
Officials
Referee: Matthew Kreitzer
Assistant Referee 1: Jeffrey Skinker
Assistant Referee 2: Gjovalin Bori
4th Official: Artur Sibiga
Highlights: Top plays from LouCity-NYRBII
Video: LouCity's O'Connor calls it 'a cruel way' to go out
Video: LouCity's Quinn says 'we lost to a terrific team'
By The Numbers: Breaking down LouCity's playoff loss to NYRBII
1 – While LouCity has fallen two consecutive years in the USL Eastern Conference Final, the boys in purple have given up just two goals in more than 200 minutes.
2 – Sunday’s game marked LouCity’s second-ever penalty shootout, following up on last May’s victory over Detroit FC in the U.S. Open Cup.
11 – Paco Craig scored his first-ever goal as a professional in an Aug. 13 draw with the Rochester Rhinos. His 11th-minute header Sunday marked the defender’s first in the postseason.
4 – LouCity finished its playoff run by out-scoring opponents 4-1.
56 – Over the course of the season, LouCity hit the back of the net a total of 56 times while holding opponents to just half that, 28.
103 – All three red cards in Sunday’s game — two for LouCity and one for New York — were given after the 103rd minute.
284 – The boys in purple held their opponents scoreless in the playoffs for 284 consecutive minutes before conceding.
LouCity player sendoff set for Tuesday at Over the 9
Louisville City FC’s players will on Tuesday close out 2016 at the same place it started.
Fans are invited to send off the boys in purple from 6-7 p.m. at Over the 9, an official LouCity pub partner located at 120 S. 10th Street.
The club will have team photo prints available at the event, with 18 x 24 posters on sale for $3 and 8 1/2 x 10 versions for $1.
Over the 9, which also hosted the club’s Opening Whistle kit reveal in March, will also offer on special $3 select pints of Falls City beer and $4 select glasses of Old 502 wine until 8 p.m.
LouCity went 17-4-9 in its second season, advancing to the United Soccer League’s Eastern Conference before Sunday’s defeat on penalty kicks to the New York Red Bulls II. The club also boasted some of the USL’s strongest support, ranking third of 29 teams in average home attendance.
The East’s No. 1 seed, the Red Bulls II, host the Western Conference No. 4 seed Swope Park Rangers at 8 p.m. Sunday in the USL Cup Final. ESPNU has the broadcast.
LouCity will meanwhile look to build on a year in which it tallied more points in the standings than 2015, when coach James O’Connor also coached the club to the conference final, as well as strung together 17 straight unbeaten matches from April through July.
