Soccer:Sporting Fingal will cease to exist after the club confirmed it has withdrawn its application for a licence from the FAI to participate in this season's Airtricity League.

Sporting were unable to secure the necessary funding to operate and were therefore left with no option but to cease trading after three season in the League of Ireland.

Liam Buckley, the club’s director of football, said: “I am devastated for all involved with Sporting Fingal, players, staff, fans, volunteers, directors etc, that we have been forced to bring the Sporting Fingal project to a premature end.

“Finding a replacement for our supportive backer was always going to be a major challenge but we were pleased with the progress made. Sadly, the suddenness and timing of last week's sponsorship set-back sent us back to the drawing board, a predicament we were simply unable to overcome so close to the season kick-off.

Sporting were due to get their season under way next Monday in the cross-border Setanta Cup.

As a result the club's signed players are automatically released from their contracts and can sign for other clubs as free agents.

Sporting achieved success in their short existence by winning the 2009 FAI Ford Cup and playing in last year's Europa League.

“It is a very sad day, but we simply ran out of time,” added John O'Brien, Sporting Fingal secretary. “We are especially disappointed for everyone who has backed the project.

“We set out to be a different kind of football club in our approach to the development of the Sporting Fingal, and I believe that we achieved that.”