Michael Duffy suffered a fractured tibia on his Derry City return last night and faces a spell on the sidelines.
The flying winger made his second debut for his hometown club as a 61st minute substitute following his high-profile move from Dundalk.
But Duffy was injured in a tackle with Keith Cowan and forced to limp off less than 10 minutes after his introduction in the 2-0 win over Drogheda United.
And a Candystripes statement this morning confirmed the club’s worst fears after revealing the extent of the injury.
“Michael Duffy suffered a fractured tibia during last night's match,” read the statement.
“He is currently being assessed for a treatment plan to best manage his recovery.
“We will ensure that he has access to the best medical care available and we wish him a very speedy recovery.”
It is the second serious injury blow that Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgings has had to face this early in the season.
Midfielder Ciaron Harkin ruptured his ACL a fortnight ago and faces a lengthy spell out of the side.
Speaking about Duffy’s injury immediately after last night’s game, Higgins had told the Derry Journal: “Please God it's only bone bruising or a heavy knock.
“That's what we're all hoping for. If it's anything else then obviously it's a major blow to Michael and us.”
Higgins has had to be patient with Duffy since his return from Dundalk and added last night: “We wanted to get him 20 or 35 minutes to get him up to speed.
“He has looked really sharp this last week and he's got a lot of really good work done, so he was ready.
"The challenge was a bit late. I think Keith Cowan is an honest lad but it's a bit late and we've suffered.”
