In-form defender Jermaine Grandison has handed Shrewsbury Town boss Graham Turner an unwelcome selection dilemma – after being ruled out for up to six weeks.

The former Coventry City man limped out of Saturday’s televised FA Cup victory at Newport County and club medical staff have now confirmed a grade two hamstring tear that will see him sidelined for between four to six weeks.

The 20-year-old, who was signed last season as a centre-half, has become a fixture in recent weeks at right-back and admits it is a personal blow to find himself confined to the treatment room.

“It’s very frustrating because I was just getting into it and was enjoying a good run of games,” said Grandison, who has started 17 of Shrewsbury’s 22 games in all competitions so far this season.

“When I did it, I knew straight away what I had done so I was kind of expecting this (diagnosis).

“I have been quite consistent lately and things were going well for me so it’s a setback, but I just have to get my head down and work hard to get fit.”

With summer signing Carl Regan also struggling with his own hamstring injury it leaves Turner short of right-back options – with homegrown youngster Connor Goldson looking favourite to deputise in Shrewsbury’s League Two trip to Northampton on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Town striker James Collins earned another cap for the Republic of Ireland under-21s last night, though he failed to find the target in a 2-0 win in their UEFA Championships qualifier at home to Liechtenstein.

Collins made headlines last month when scoring a seven-minute hat-trick for the Irish in a 4-1 win away to the same opposition.

Fellow Town forward Tom Bradshaw is also in line for further international honours as he is in the Wales under-21s squad which is playing away in Armenia this afternoon.

By Chris Hudson