Newtonmore centre half Rory Kennedy is poised to undergo a third operation on his injured finger – a severe blow to his hopes of an early comeback.
Hospital scans have revealed pieces of the badly broken bone in the index finger have failed to fuse.
The 21-year-old suffered the injury in last season’s Caman- achd Cup semi-final. He said: “I have been referred to a specialist as the advice is I will require a bone graft from my pelvis into the gap in my finger. The news is pretty shattering as it wrecks my hopes of making a comeback this season, which is hard to take.
“Despite two previous operations, the bone is not knitting and the bone graft is now seen as the solution.”
Kennedy added: “I’d hoped the hospital visit would give me good news and that I could look towards playing again. Instead, it was a real setback and the timeframe is a bit of a guessing game now.
“My only chance is I don’t have too long a wait for the surgery and that the bone graft heals fairly quickly. But all I can do now is wait and see.”
The news is also a blow to new Scotland manager Ronald Ross who had indicated he was keen to have Kennedy face Ireland this autumn.
Newtonmore manager Paul John Mackintosh said: “Rory’s news is really sad as he’s such an important player. The lad is devastated.
“It’s a question now, however, of him taking all the time needed to get it 100%.”
Meanwhile club-mate Danny MacRae returned from a shoulder injury to score two goals in Newtonmore’s 4-2 Orion Premiership win at Glenurquhart.
A trapped nerve has been causing MacRae pain but he netted two goals in four second-half minutes.
Fraser MacKintosh had given the champions a 1-0 interval lead and he added his second in 49 minutes. Lewis MacLennan netted the Drumnadrochit men’s late consolation as they stay in fourth spot.
Newtonmore maintain their 100% league record from four games and next week they face Lovat, the only team above them, at the Eilan.