As Colin Falvey lifted the 2012 USL Cup for the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium after the their 1-0 victory against Wilmington Hammerheads FC, Dane Kelly watched from back in Jamaica.

In his second season for the Battery, Kelly had notched five goals and two assists for the side in the regular season. With the transfer window about to close, however, Kelly had to return from his loan stint with Charleston back to Jamaica, ruling him out of the chance to help the side in the postseason.

“It was pretty disappointing, but I’m glad they were able to do it without me,” Kelly said, looking back. “I’m proud of them and I’m proud of what they have accomplished, so that’s pretty good, but it sucks that I wasn’t there to be able to play and lift the cup with them.”

Four years later, Kelly will get his chance to lift the USL Cup this Sunday night as his new side, the Swope Park Rangers, visits the New York Red Bulls II in the 2016 USL Cup Final, Presented by Nike, at Red Bull Arena. Making the move to the expansion club this offseason after five strong seasons for the Battery, Kelly arrived with hopes of recording a fourth consecutive regular season with double-digit goals in the USL.

“I wanted to try and see if I could make the transition to the MLS team,” said Kelly, “so I decided to move to Swope to try and make that happen, but I got injured during the season, so I struggled to get my fitness and a struggled to get my confidence.”

• Road to the USL Cup Final – SPR Postseason Bound

Kelly was forced to sit out early in the year, but as he worked his way back into the lineup, the goals started coming too. Kelly notched six goals in the regular season, below his expectations, but in the postseason, he may have scored the defining goal of the Rangers’ season.

Down to nine men in overtime against Orange County Blues FC in the Western Conference Semifinals, the Rangers were looking to hold firm defensively, and break out quickly on the counter if the chance presented itself. In the final minute of the first 15-minute overtime period, Kelly’s chance came, and he made no mistake.

“It was a great ball by Nansel Selbol, it was a great ball, and then I took on the defender,” Kelly said. “When I made a move inside, I saw the 'keeper was off his line, so I decided to take the shot, and it went in. It was an incredible goal, and for us going down to nine players, I could not ask for a better goal at a better time for the team.”

The goal earned the Rangers a 2-1 win against the Blues. Another solid victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 to claim the Western Conference Championship followed, sending the Rangers through to Sunday’s Cup Final, a feat Kelly is very proud of. 

“It means a lot, man, because, honestly, I went through a lot throughout the season,” Kelly said. “Reaching the final means a lot to us as a team and me as a player.”

The USL’s all-time leading scorer with 48 goals in his six regular seasons in the league, Kelly also got the chance to help mentor the club’s younger players over the course of this year, with the likes of Selbol and Mark Anthony Gonzalez drawing praise from the Jamaican. He’s also enjoyed the move to Kansas City, with the city’s customary hospitality a big plus from Kelly’s perspective.

“The people here, they’re so friendly and lovely throughout the city,” said Kelly. “That’s the most important thing, when you’ve been in a city where there’s a lot of people that love soccer and treat you nice, that’s really cool, you know?”

As much as Kelly has enjoyed his new surroundings, and new teammates, the focus this weekend returns to the field. After missing out on the chance to lift the USL Cup four seasons ago, Kelly is determined not to let this chance slip through his fingers.