NEWPORT outside half Shane Howarth has not dislocated his shoulder, but it remains touch and go whether he will make the Principality Welsh Cup final against Neath in Cardiff on May 13.

An X-ray examination has revealed damage to the AC joint, injured in the defeat at Swansea on Saturday.

Howarth will have intensive physiotherapy over the next three weeks.

"There is quite a problem with the shoulder," said Newport team manager Jim McCreedy.

"It will be touch and go, but Shane is hopeful he will be available for the final. He'll undergo intensive physiotherapy over the next few weeks and we'll have to see how the injury progresses.

"It will be a touch and go situation, but Shane is desperate to play. If he doesn't, it won't be for the lack of trying. The injury wasn't a total dislocation. He's damaged the AC joint.

"But Shane has kept himself in very goods shape and hopefully with the right physiotherapy and rehab he'll have a good chance of making it."

Newport centre Jason Jones-Hughes is another doubt for the final after suffering what McCreedy called "quite a serious knee injury" against Swansea.

The club are awaiting the result of a scan.

But both full back Matt Pini (stiff neck) and centre Andy Marinos (knee blow) are expected to be fit to face Caerphilly in a must-win game for the Black and Ambers on Saturday.

Meanwhile the Welsh Premier clubs are expected to agree tomorrow to nine clubs in the Celtic League and Anglo-Welsh League next season.

They are due to meet the Welsh Rugby Union again when they are expected to agree to a deal they do not really want.

They wanted eight clubs in the new Celtic League or for the WRU to finance all nine clubs instead of sharing the money, intended for eight, with the extra side.

But the WRU have stuck to their guns and the Premier sides are expected to fall in line