Tyrone assistant manager Tony Donnelly believes Kildare will be a totally different proposition to what they were in the first round of the Allianz Football League.

The counties renew their rivalry in today's Division 2 final at Croke Park - nearly three months since Tyrone emerged as 2-11 to 0-12 winners at the same venue.

"They have their training camp behind them and when you look at it, we played them in the first game and the results have certainly improved since then for them," Mickey Harte's right-hand man said.

"Fitness levels would have improved from then too. A lot of people said of that game that we won by five - the difference was, we had a couple of goal chances and took them, they had goal chances and didn't take them.

"We'd like to think that we have got fitter and stronger too as well, so we'd be hoping for a real keen contest coming up to the weekend."

Meanwhile, Tyrone U21 captain Ronan O'Neill underwent surgery to repair his ruptured cruciate ligament this week.

"Ronan got his operation on Tuesday and the first reports are that it all went well, thank God. He's happy that it is behind him and the real recovery starts from post-operation time," Donnelly added.

"There's a slow build-up of rehab, but with Louis O'Connor and Michael Harte - our physios - he's in good hands. The player has to be patient and follow instructions to the programmes they are given. But Ronan's a very dedicated young lad, a great lad and you would be hoping with his focus and determination and all that, he will get back." Tweet

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