Lee O'Connor in possession for Ireland during his senior international debut against New Zealand in November.

Lee O'Connor in possession for Ireland during his senior international debut against New Zealand in November.

CELTIC HAVE SENT Republic of Ireland defender Lee O’Connor on loan to Partick Thistle.

The 19-year-old full-back joins the Scottish Championship club until the end of the season in order to gain exposure to competitive football at senior level, having yet to receive a first team opportunity at Celtic Park.

After a three-year spell with Manchester United, O’Connor — who has been captaining Celtic’s reserves — joined the Glasgow giants on a four-year deal last summer.

The Waterford native won 11 caps for Ireland at U21 level in 2019. He also impressed in his senior debut in November, providing an assist for Callum Robinson’s goal in a 3-1 win over New Zealand in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium.

Partick, who lost 2-1 to Celtic in the Scottish Cup on Saturday, currently sit second from bottom in the second tier of Scottish football.

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