Luke Fitzgerald’s injury nightmare continued tonight when the Ireland winger was once again withdrawn from the Leinster squad at the 11th hour tonight.

The 26-year-old has been plagued with a problem with abductor and groin muscles since late January and missed the Six Nations as a result.

He has made a number of attempted comebacks, even getting through 80 minutes against Munster at Lansdowne Road four weeks ago, but he had not played since then and was due to try again off the bench against Ulster at the official opening of the new Ravenhill tonight.

However, despite training all week, the luckless back aggravated the injury in the build-up and was withdrawn to be replaced as No23 by Brendan Macken.

It is the second time he has been named in a squad but withdrawn prior to kick-off as he was pulled out in similar circumstances before the meeting with Glasgow Warriors on March 1.

The setback is the latest in a four year spell of bad luck for the former Blackrock College starlet.

Since touring with the Lions in 2009, he has been hampered with knee problems that rendered his future uncertain before interest from Munster triggered Leinster into handing him a two-year contract last season.

He appeared to have overcome his problems and battled his way into the Ireland set-up in November where he impressed off the bench in the heart breaking defeat to New Zealand and he looked set to start this season’s Six Nations before the latest problem struck.

With a possible three more games to go in Leinster’s season before the summer tour to Argentina it could be that this will go down as the latest lost season for one of Ireland’s most exciting players.

Online Editors