Corey O'Keeffe


Corey James John O'Keeffe is a professional footballer who plays as a full back or midfielder. He made his senior debut for Birmingham City 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.

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. He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2014. Interviewed later that year, he assessed his strengths as attacking and heading, and felt he needed to improve his weaker foot.
He signed his first professional contract, of two years, in May 2016. 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.
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. 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. That was his only first-team appearance in 2016–17.
O'Keeffe signed a new three-year contract in August 2017. Having made no first-team appearances in 2017–18, he joined National League club Solihull Moors on loan until 17 February 2018. 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.
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. 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. He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of June 2020.

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.
O'Keeffe played two Ireland under-18 friendlies, against the Czech Republic in November 2015 and England in March 2016, and played alongside Birmingham teammate Ronan Hale in a 2–2 draw with Germany U18 in May. He appeared in both of Ireland under-19s' friendlies against Austria U19 in September, captaining the side in the second match, 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.

Career statistics