Thankfully, there were only positive reasons for Chloe Mustaki's failure to take the field on Wednesday night.
The midfielder was stripped and ready for her first appearance in 17 months as Shelbourne chased a winner at home to Bohemians to keep their title challenge on track.
Then Pearl Slattery struck, the captain netting the decisive goal in the ninth minute of injury time, and the substitution was put on hold.
Mustaki will make her return to action in the coming weeks as Shels duke it out with champions Peamount United and Wexford Youths for a first title in five years.
Just getting back on the pitch will be the culmination of a year-and-a-half-long injury nightmare dating back to a torn cruciate ligament on the eve of her Ireland debut.
The Cabinteely native had already battled her way through a cancer diagnosis early in her career and she could be forgiven for thinking the chance would never come.
Now, with recovery in sight, she says she's more determined than ever to get back to the UK (she was with Charlton Athletic when injury hit) and become a professional footballer.
"As I say, 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry.' That's just life and everyone experiences setbacks at various stages," Mustaki tells Dublin Live.
"I came back for camp back in March 2020 and tore my ACL the day before we were supposed to play Greece, and I made the decision to stay here.
"Unfortunately, having had lymphoma and tearing an ACL close together has stunted my ability to get into the international squad and to get my first cap, which I will still hopefully get."
The road to recovery has been hard but, with the aid of a sympathetic employer who allowed her to stay in Ireland and Shels strength & conditioning coach Dave O'Connor, she's come through the worst.
"In the past few weeks, the knee as really come on. When I first came back into training with the girls, it was a bit difficult trying to get up to the same intensity.
"The knee was struggling a bit in the first few weeks, but the past two-three weeks the knee feels great and the body feels great.
"I've put in such hard work over the past 17 months, and especially the last eight months, to get myself physically ready.
"Charlton was a bit of a step-up from here. That was what I needed and hopefully I can get back there in months to care and keep building my football career.
"I've worked so, so hard to get back to where I am today and it's lit a fire in my belly to go in search of a full-time contract whenever I'm ready and whenever I'm deserving."
