Stephen O'Keeffe (born 29 April 1991) is an Irish hurler who plays for Waterford Senior Championship club Ballygunner and formerly at inter-county level with the Waterford county hurling team. He usually lines out as a goalkeeper.
Playing career
De La Salle College
O'Keeffe first came to prominence as a hurler with De La Salle College in Waterford. He played in every grade before eventually joining the college's senior team. On 11 March 2007, he won a Harty Cup medal after lining out in goal for De La Salle's 2-07 to 0-11 defeat of St. Flannan's College. O'Keeffe retained his position in goal when De La Salle faced Kilkenny CBS in the All-Ireland final on 22 April 2007. He ended the game with a winners' medal following the 0-13 to 1-09 victory.
On 8 March 2008, O'Keeffe won a second successive Harty Cup medal following a 1-11 to 0-07 defeat of Thurles CBS in the final. On 19 April 2008, he won a second successive All-Ireland medal following De La Salle's 2-09 to 2-08 defeat of Thurles CBS in a final replay.
Waterford Institute of Technology
O'Keeffe studied at the Waterford Institute of Technology and joined the senior hurling team in his second year at the institute. On 1 March 2014, he lined out in goal when Waterford IT defeated the Cork Institute of Technology by 0-17 to 0-12 to win the Fitzgibbon Cup.
Ballygunner
Minor
O'Keeffe joined the Ballygunner club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. On 12 November 2006, he was just 15-years-old when he lined out in goal when Ballygunner defeated Cappoquin by 2-12 to 2-05 to win the Waterford Minor Championship title.
On 30 September 2007, O'Keeffe lined out in goal in a second successive Waterford Minor Championship final. A 3-24 to 2-09 defeat of Dungarvan secured a second successive winners' medal.
Three titles in-a-row proved beyond the Ballygunner minor team, however, on 8 November 2009 Ballygunner lined out in a third final in four seasons. O'Keeffe collected a third winners' medal after a 2-17 to 0-10 defeat of Dunhill-Fenor.
Senior
On 11 October 2009, O'Keeffe was just 18-years-old when he lined out in goal in his first Waterford Senior Championship final. Lismore were the opponents, however, the game ended in a 4-12 to 2-18 draw. The replay a week later saw O'Keeffe claim his first winners' medal following a 1-17 to 0-19 victory. On 29 November 2009, he was in goal when Ballygunner suffered a 2-11 to 0-09 defeat by Newtownshandrum in the Munster final.
O'Keeffe lined out in his second Waterford Senior Championship final on 24 October 2010, with Ballygunner hoping to retain the title for the first time in 12 years. He ended on the losing side following a 3-13 to 1-11 defeat by De La Salle.
Ballygunner qualified for a third successive Waterford Senior Championship final on 16 October 2011, with O'Keeffe lining out in goal once again. He collected a second winners' medal following a 1-19 to 0-06 defeat of Tallow.
Four final appearances in succession proved beyond Ballygunner, however, the club reached a fourth final in five seasons on 13 October 2013. O'Keeffe ended on the losing side for the second time in his career following a 3-16 to 3-13 defeat by first-time champions Passage.
O'Keeffe lined out in goal in a fifth Waterford Senior Championship final on 5 October 2014. Ballygunner defeated Mount Sion by 2-16 to 0-09, with O'Keeffe collecting a third winners' medal.
On 18 October 2015, O'Keeffe won a fourth Waterford Senior Championship medal following a 0-16 to 0-12 defeat of Tallow in the final. He later lined out in a second Munster final on 19 November 2015. O'Keeffe ended the game on the losing following a 2-18 to 2-11 defeat by Na Piarsaigh.
On 23 October 2016, O'Keeffe lined out in a fourth successive Waterford Championship final and his seventh overall. He collected a fifth winners' medal at the end of the game after a 4-20 to 1-12 defeat of Passage.
On 22 October 2017, O'Keeffe won a sixth Waterford Senior Championship medal in goal when Ballygunner defeated De La Salle by 2-18 to 0-16 in the final. On 19 November 2017, he lined out in a third Munster final, however, he ended on the losing side once again following a 3-15 to 2-10 defeat by Na Piarsaigh.
O'Keeffe won a seventh Waterford Senior Championship title on 7 October 2018 when Ballygunner defeated Abbeyside by 2-19 to 0-13 to secure a fifth successive title. He was again in goal on 18 November when Ballygunner defeated Na Piarsaigh by 2-14 to 2-08 to win the Munster Championship.