Corey James John O'Keeffe (born 5 June 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a full back or midfielder for EFL League One club Barnsley.
[13][14] 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.
[15] 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.
[19] 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.
[23] By the time he returned, Graham Coughlan, the manager who signed him, had left;[24] his successor, Nigel Clough, switched to a flat back four, the results improved,[25] and O'Keeffe remained a regular in the matchday squad but did not start another league game.
[28] He made his debut in the starting eleven for the opening-day visit to Harrogate Town, which Rochdale lost 3–2 to a stoppage-time goal,[29] and continued as a regular.
[13][32] Clough's opinion was that "if we're not going to play the three centre halves then Corey may well move on",[33] and on 28 January 2022, O'Keeffe did so, returning to Rochdale on a short-term contract until the end of the season.
[34] He played in every remaining match, although not always a starter, making 51 appearances over the season in all competitions, scoring five goals and finishing well up the League Two assists table,[13][35] and Rochdale confirmed that they would be offering him a new contract.