A staged injector adapted for use in a combustor of a gas turbine, wherein the combustor includes an inner radial wall defining a combustion zone downstream of a forward nozzle, the staged injector comprising: an injector tube comprising a lateral wall enclosing an injection passageway that extends between an outlet and an inlet, wherein: the outlet is adapted to fluidly connect the injection passageway to the combustion zone; the inlet is positioned outboard of the outlet such that the injection passageway comprises a steep injection angle; a cover formed about an outboard segment of the injector tube so to enclose the outboard segment within a surrounding plenum, wherein the cover further includes: a side wall that radially overlaps and encircles the outboard segment of the injector tube thereby forming a first portion of the surrounding plenum therebetween; and a ceiling wall spanning between an outboard edge of the side wall so to form a second portion of the surrounding plenum that is outboard of the inlet of the injector tube; the stage injector characterized in that the cover further comprises: a screening plate formed within the side wall of the cover that includes a multitude of apertures configured to fluidly connect the first portion of the surrounding plenum with a feed cavity formed exterior to the side wall. an injector tube comprising a lateral wall enclosing an injection passageway that extends between an outlet and an inlet, wherein: the outlet is adapted to fluidly connect the injection passageway to the combustion zone; the inlet is positioned outboard of the outlet such that the injection passageway comprises a steep injection angle; the outlet is adapted to fluidly connect the injection passageway to the combustion zone; the inlet is positioned outboard of the outlet such that the injection passageway comprises a steep injection angle; a cover formed about an outboard segment of the injector tube so to enclose the outboard segment within a surrounding plenum, wherein the cover further includes: a side wall that radially overlaps and encircles the outboard segment of the injector tube thereby forming a first portion of the surrounding plenum therebetween; and a ceiling wall spanning between an outboard edge of the side wall so to form a second portion of the surrounding plenum that is outboard of the inlet of the injector tube; the stage injector characterized in that the cover further comprises: a screening plate formed within the side wall of the cover that includes a multitude of apertures configured to fluidly connect the first portion of the surrounding plenum with a feed cavity formed exterior to the side wall. a side wall that radially overlaps and encircles the outboard segment of the injector tube thereby forming a first portion of the surrounding plenum therebetween; and a ceiling wall spanning between an outboard edge of the side wall so to form a second portion of the surrounding plenum that is outboard of the inlet of the injector tube; the stage injector characterized in that the cover further comprises: a screening plate formed within the side wall of the cover that includes a multitude of apertures configured to fluidly connect the first portion of the surrounding plenum with a feed cavity formed exterior to the side wall.