Quick Facts
Biography
John O'Keeffe (born 17 November 1988) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a right wing-back for the Tipperary senior team.
O'Keeffe made his first appearance for the team during the 2011 National League and has become a regular player over the last few seasons. Since then he has won one Munster winners' medal. He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
At club level O'Keeffe plays with the Clonoulty-Rossmore club.
Playing career
Club
O'Keeffe made his senior championship debut for Clonoulty-Rossmore in 2004.
He has enjoyed little success with the senior team, losing back-to-back championship deciders in 2010 and 2011.
Inter-county
O'Keeffe first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team. He enjoyed much success in this grade as Tipperary reached the All-Ireland decider via the "back-door" in 2006. Three-in-a-row hopefuls Galway provided the opposition, however, Tipp powered to 2–18 to 2–7 victory. It was O'Keeffe's sole All-Ireland medal in that grade.
O'Keeffe subsequently joined the Tipperary under-21 team. He won a Munster medal in this grade in his debut season following a controversial one-point defeat of Clare. Tipp later reached the All-Ireland, however, O'Keeffe's side were defeated by Kilkenny.
In 2011 O'Keeffe made his senior debut for Tipp in a National Hurling League game against Waterford. His first championship start came later that year against Cork. A 7-19 to 0-19 trouncing of Waterford in the subsequent provincial decider gave O'Keeffe his first Munster medal. For the third successive year, Tipperary faced off against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, on this occasion Kilkenny were slight underdogs going up against the new champions. Kilkenny started quickly and never surrendered the lead in the 2-17 to 1-16 victory.
O'Keeffe was dropped from Tipperary's starting fifteen in 2012 but remained on the extended panel of players.