A scan has confirmed a tear in Oisin McEntee’s hamstring and the 22-year-old will miss the rest of the season, Hearts manager Derek McInnes said on Friday. McEntee was substituted late in Hearts’ 3-1 win over Motherwell earlier this month and the club’s medical check this month delivered the bleak news.
McInnes called the injury “a real blow” for the club. The setback lands with Hearts sitting top of the league on 70 points going into the split, one point clear of Rangers, and with five games remaining in a run-in that would end their bid for the club’s first top-flight crown since 1960 if it falters.
What makes the loss acute for Hearts is McEntee’s adaptability. The manager has used the young defender at right-back, centre-back and in midfield this season — in all, McEntee has filled six or seven different positions — and he has appeared more often at right-back than any other player in the squad. McInnes praised McEntee’s temperament and technical qualities, saying he had been very pleased with the player’s willingness to take on different roles and that he brings composure and good ideas on the ball.
That versatility is one reason McEntee’s absence matters more than the simple tally of minutes. Hearts have not had a settled right side this season and have shuffled several options there because of injuries, balance and personnel choices. Michael Steinwender has been used at right-back across the campaign, and Jordi Altena has started in that position three times. Christian Borchgrevink, Alan Forrest and Alexandros Kyziridis have all been given stints at full-back or wing-back as the manager searched for stability.
Availability has been a recurring problem. Harry Milne has missed the last three games with a calf issue, and veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon has been limited to some handling work while recovering from a shoulder problem. The squad returned from a warm-weather trip to Spain last week, with the hope of sharpening fitness and focus; instead McEntee’s scan forces another reshuffle ahead of the split.
McInnes set out the practical implications without flourish. He said the club would have to cope and that losing McEntee — a dependable, competitive presence — reduces both depth and a particular sort of reliability. He also noted that McEntee understood the roles asked of him, recounting how the player took to the team’s plan against Dundee and accepted changes without complaint, which underlined how significant the loss is beyond just the minutes on the pitch.
The immediate decision for McInnes is tactical: who will anchor the right side for the final five matches? Steinwender and Altena are the most obvious alternatives, but the manager has already used a variety of players there this season and may be forced into another experiment. The injury also tightens the margin for error: Hearts go into the split as the first side outside Celtic or Rangers to sit top at that stage, and every selection misstep in the coming weeks carries outsized consequence.
This is no longer a theoretical test of squad depth. With 70 points in the bank and a single point separating them from Rangers, Hearts must now manage an immediate shortage in a position they have already struggled to settle. McInnes said he was proud of the players and urged focus on finishing strongly; bluntly, the next five matches will show whether the club’s patchwork solutions during a long season can hold up when the title — a prize the club has sought for 66 years — is within touching distance.
For McEntee, the season ends in disappointment after a campaign that showcased his range and temperament. That loss is felt at both ends of the spectrum: personally, in a young career halted at an awkward moment, and collectively, in a title chase that will now be decided without one of its most flexible contributors.
