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Hibs defender Paul Hanlon is a major doubt for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen after head coach Neil Lennon admitted that finding a cure for his pelvic injury is not straight forward.
The 27-year-old has only made one start since the January 6 victory over Dundee United due to the problem and Lennon admits the Easter Road medical staff are facing a battle to get the centre-half match fit due to the complexity of the injury.
The absence of Hanlon for the April 22 Hampden showdown with the Dons would be a huge blow for the Scottish Cup holders.
The form of the Edinburgh-born player’s form this season has led to calls for a Scotland call-up.
Lennon admits the persistent complaint is a cause for concern.
He said: “Paul has problems in his pelvic area. He had a nerve problem which kept him out but once that settles down there’s other parts in that area that react and overcompensate for the initial problem and that causes discomfort and pain.
“There’s three areas in there that need to get settled down, and that might involve a lot of core work and keeping him off the pitch for a while but it’s a blow.
“We’re not talking about him missing the rest of the season but we’ll have to monitor his training.
“He can’t train at the minute, he’s dipping in and out and obviously that’s going to affect his condition so we need to find a balance where he does his core work and trains without inflaming the affected area. “So it’s a complicated one for the staff.”
