The Hogan Cup has so far proven to be an elusive objective for most Tyrone teams over the history of the competition. The only success enjoyed by the Red Hand County was a decade ago when St Patrick's of Dungannon collected the trophy. The concentration on Vocational Schools competition in the county, propelled by men such as former Tyrone manager Art McRory and Peter Canavan is one factor.

The other is that at Colleges grade in Tyrone it could be said that up to relatively recently the emphasis was on academic prowess rather than football power. The expansion of the excellent Tyrone coaching network has, however, helped develop twin academic and sports-related objectives at Colleges grade. And it has meant that Omagh CBS is now recognised as a real force in the game at Ulster level.

The driving force for the school, however, continues to be the capture of the Hogan Cup on an All Ireland stage.

Omagh have tried twice before to match the achievement of their Dungannon rivals, on both occasions losing out.

Donnelly, however, says that there is no Hogan hoodoo fears as far as the present squad is concerned.

"We don't have any theories as to why other teams have not been able to win the competition. What we do know, however, is that the present squad of players have been working as a unit for the last seven years.

"When a group of players come together there are no set objectives as far as winning specific trophies.

"Young lads develop at a different pace before gradually moving towards the same level. That, however, takes time and commitment. It also needs luck with injuries and being able to cope with all the other competing factors that they will inevitably face along the way."

The other component that any squad needs if character.

Omagh have had to show that commodity time and time again this season. The Tyrone lads negotiated their way through the ultra competitive cauldron of Ulster Colleges MacRory Cup football, at times with very little margin for error.

Against Armagh in the semi-final it needed a replay and an extra time points flourish to record a remarkable victory. They were two points down with four minutes to go in the MacRory final against St Macartan's of Monaghan. It didn't stop the Omagh momentum with Simon Reid sending over the winning point in injury time.

Without doubt, the relentless Tyrone brand of determination that has been instilled in the Omagh CBS players was exemplified in the All Ireland semi-final against St Jarlath's.

"We seem at times to enjoy going behind before having to claw our way back into contention, " Noel Donnelly explained. "We did take a break from the heavy duty training before the semi-final against Jarlath's. The players went back for a couple of weeks to play football with their respective clubs.

"It meant that they were playing a different style of football. The standards of competition were different. It did affect us. Perhaps we became too laid back, too complacent.

Against St Jarlath's we had to ask ourselves some very searching questions at half time."

Trailing by nine points against the Tuam team, Omagh knew they had to find many answers. The questions asked by the management duo of Donnelly and Ciaran McBride were not of the chalk and board variety. The language was blunt. There was no need for any interpretation.

In the second half Omagh took over with a brand of fluent, constructive passing football. They overturned the deficit with a string of 13 unanswered points. The last minute consolation goal by a shattered Jarlath's was only a token contribution to the final scoreboard.

But Donnelly knows, and his players know, there will be nothing of a token nature against Tralee.

"Of course there will be all the additional rivalry that comes with Tyrone and Kerry football. All we know about Tralee is what we have read in the media. The usual stuff. Big midfielders and attacking halfbacks. Clever forwards.

Strong and committed in the tackle. The same script that could be applied to any team that gets through this level of football.

"All we know as a squad is that we have all been working for this single objective for seven years. These lads have worked and worked. They have had to combine training with school, club and county as well as working for their academic exams.

"It's a workload that can only be really understood if you are involved at first hand.

You have to take all the positives and use them to your advantage. Football is all about taking your opportunities. We don't intend to turn this one down."