Derry's Paddy Bradley will definitely miss this Sunday's vital National Football league clash with Galway.
He looks set to line-out in their opening Championship game next month however, despite reports that the former All-Star would be ruled out for between six to eight weeks.
Bradley damaged his hamstring last weekend while playing for his club Glenullin in their Division 1 of the Derry Senior football league on Saturday night.
It had been first feared that the 28-year old would be ruled out for up to two months, which would see him miss the Oak Leafers Ulster SFC opener with Armagh on May 16.
Derry need a comprehensive win this Sunday over Galway, and other results to go their way if they are to maintain their Division 1 status for next year.
Currently the Oak Leafers lie rooted to the bottom of the table, with just two points on a scoring difference of -15.
Kerry (+5), Monaghan (-7) and Tyrone (-9) all lie ahead of Derry with four league points.
To ensure relegation does not take place, Derry must firstly hope that Tyrone lose to Dublin at Omagh, as head-to-head games count first, and Derry recorded their only league win over the Red Hands.
Damien Cassidy's side must also hope that a winner is produced in the Kerry-Monaghan tie, and that the loser of that tie has a worse scoring difference than their own.