Corey O'Keeffe

Corey James John O'Keeffe (born 5 June 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a full back or midfielder for League Two club Mansfield Town. He bgan his career with Birmingham City, made his senior debut in 2016, and spent time on loan at Solihull Moors of the National League in 2018 and at League Two club Macclesfield Town in 2019–20. Born in England, O'Keeffe has represented the Republic of Ireland at levels from under-16 to under-19.

Corey O'Keeffe
Personal information
Full name Corey James John O'Keeffe[1]
Date of birth (1998-06-05) 5 June 1998[2]
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s) Full back, midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Mansfield Town
Number 2
Youth career
200?–2008 Cadbury Athletic
2008–2016 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2020 Birmingham City 1 (0)
2018 → Solihull Moors (loan) 13 (0)
2019–2020 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 31 (0)
2020– Mansfield Town 13 (0)
National team
Republic of Ireland U16
2014–2015 Republic of Ireland U17 8 (1)
2015–2016 Republic of Ireland U18 3 (0)
2016–2017 Republic of Ireland U19 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:35, 2 January 2021 (UTC)

Club career

O'Keeffe was born in Birmingham and attended Baverstock School in the Druids Heath area. He was noticed by representatives of Birmingham City when playing for Cadbury Athletic, and joined their Academy in 2008.[2] He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2014.[4] Interviewed later that year, he assessed his strengths as attacking and heading, and felt he needed to improve his weaker foot.[2]

He signed his first professional contract, of two years, in May 2016.[5] He was an unused substitute for the Birmingham reserve team that lost the 2016 Birmingham Senior Cup final to National League North champions Solihull Moors.[6]

After impressing both for Birmingham's under-23 side and when training with the first team, O'Keeffe was given squad number 30 in December 2016.[7] He made his senior debut in the Championship visit to Newcastle United on 10 December, as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4–0 defeat.[8] That was his only first-team appearance in 2016–17.[9]

O'Keeffe signed a new three-year contract in August 2017.[10] Having made no first-team appearances in 2017–18, he joined National League club Solihull Moors on loan until 17 February 2018.[11] He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's match, playing the whole of a 2–2 draw at home to Sutton United, but was not a regular selection, and was recalled in December having made only eight starts in National League matches.[12][13]

An unused substitute in Birmingham's EFL Cup defeat on 6 August 2019, O'Keeffe joined League Two club Macclesfield Town three days later on loan for the rest of the season.[14] He was a first-team regular throughout his stay, and had made 36 appearances in all competitions by the time the League Two season was first suspended and then ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[15][16] He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of June 2020.[17]

O'Keeffe signed a two-year contract with League Two club Mansfield Town on 13 August 2020.[18] He was in the starting eleven for their opening fixture, an EFL Cup tie away to Preston North End on 29 August, and played the whole of the 4–0 defeat.[19]

International career

O'Keeffe played six matches for the Republic of Ireland U17 in qualification for the 2015 UEFA Under-17 Championship, scoring once, and started two matches in the tournament proper as his country were eliminated at the group stage.[20]

O'Keeffe played two Ireland under-18 friendlies, against the Czech Republic in November 2015 and England in March 2016,[21] and played alongside Birmingham teammate Ronan Hale in a 2–2 draw with Germany U18 in May.[22] He appeared in both of Ireland under-19s' friendlies against Austria U19 in September, captaining the side in the second match,[23] and played in two of their three 2017 UEFA Under-19 qualifying round matches in October. The following March, he played in all three of their elite round matches; Ireland finished second in their group so failed to qualify.[24]

Career statistics
As of match played 2 January 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City 2016–17[9] Championship100000—10
2017–18[25] Championship000000—00
2018–19[26] Championship00—00—00
2019–20[16] Championship00—00—00
Total 100000—10
Solihull Moors (loan) 2018–19[12] National League13020—1[lower-alpha 1]0160
Macclesfield Town (loan) 2019–20[16] League Two 31010202[lower-alpha 2]0360
Mansfield Town 2020–21[27] League Two13010102[lower-alpha 2]0170
Career total 580403050700
  1. Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. Appearances in EFL Trophy

References
  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Birmingham City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 5. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. "Blue kid on the block – Corey O'Keeffe". Birmingham City F.C. 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  3. "Corey O'Keeffe". Macclesfield Town. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  4. "List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2014 and 31/07/2014" (PDF). The Football Association. p. 45. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  5. "Corey O'Keeffe pens professional contract". Birmingham City F.C. 18 April 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  6. Dick, Brian (5 May 2016). "Birmingham Senior Cup final: Birmingham City U21s 1 Solihull Moors 2". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  7. Dick, Brian (23 November 2016). "Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett admits rookie Corey O'Keeffe is 'coming through the pack'". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
    "Blues youngster gets squad number". Birmingham City F.C. 7 December 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  8. "Newcastle United 3–0 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  9. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  10. "New deal for Blues youngster Corey O'Keeffe". Birmingham City F.C. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  11. "O'Keeffe makes Moors move". Birmingham City F.C. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  12. "C. O'Keeffe". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
  13. "Corey O'Keeffe back at Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  14. "Corey O'Keeffe joins on loan from Birmingham City". Macclesfield Town F.C. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  15. Roan, Dan; Stone, Simon (15 May 2020). "League Two clubs vote to end season, but League One teams fail to decide". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  17. "Blues announce Under-23s departures". Birmingham City F.C. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  18. "Corey O'Keeffe: Mansfield Town sign former Birmingham City youngster". BBC Sport. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  19. "Mansfield Town 4–0 Preston North End". BBC Sport. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  20. "Corey O'Keeffe: Under-17". UEFA. 15 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  21. "Ireland go down to U18 friendly loss to Czechs". Football Association of Ireland (FAI). 30 November 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
    "Ireland U18s go down to England defeat". FAI. 27 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  22. "Young Blues duo named in Republic of Ireland Under-18s squad". Birmingham City F.C. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
    "Ireland U18s draw with Germany in friendly". FAI. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  23. "U19 report: Ireland 1–0 Austria – O'Connor strike seals win". FAI. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
    "Report: Ireland U19 3–1 Austria U19". FAI. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  24. "Corey O'Keeffe: Profile". UEFA. 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
    "Ireland U19s miss out on UEFA Finals despite Belgium win". FAI. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  25. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  26. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  27. "Games played by Corey O'Keeffe in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
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