SPORTING Fingal's FAI Cup and promotion heroes can rest their weary legs for a few weeks, but off the field it's a case of all hands on deck as plans are put in place for an exciting 2010. That process is already under way, and indeed preparations will gather pace this week as work continues on the club's licensing application for next season.

Speaking yesterday afternoon (Monday), Sporting club secretary John O'Brien told the Fingal Independent: 'We are putting plans together at the moment for 2010 and as a club the big job is preparing our licence application.

' We have a meeting arranged [ with the FAI] in Abbotstown to find out what's required, and we have to apply for a Premier licence and a Uefa licence to compete in Europe.

'Hopefully that will not be too onerous. For the preliminary rounds of the Europa League the demands are not that high and perhaps Morton Stadium would suffice.

'St Pat's were able to play their early European games in Richmond last season, but then they had to move to the RDS later in the competition.'

Sporting's success will not mean they abandon their community roots, a point O'Brien was eager to stress.

'We have been talking football a lot, but from the club's point of view community development is just as important. If we never won another trophy but were effective in the community, that's justification for Sporting's existence.

'It might be the off-season, but it's possibly the busiest time of year for off-the-field activities and we have a great opportunity, being in possession of the Cup, to get a lot out of it and go round the schools.

'Hopefully we'll be able to start that before the schools rise for Christmas.'

The club's presentation night in the Roganstown Golf and Country Club on Saturday next has now turned into a celebration dinner. That follows last Wednesday's victory parade and Civic Reception for the team and management.

O'Brien added: 'It was a great night and I was relieved about that because it was done at short notice with limited powers of communication.

'There was a good crowd and everyone got the chance to talk to the players and get their photos taken with the Cup.'

On the playing side, Liam Buckley will meet with the board tomorrow ( Wednesday) to discuss the budget for next season, and no doubt the € 100,000 FAI Cup prizemoney will help the manager in that regard!

Sporting were linked with want-away Shamrock Rovers ace Barry Murphy, but the highly-rated keeper is understood to favour a switch to Bohemians. A more likely scenario would be that they will attempt to sign Darren Quigley on a permanent basis. The netminder spent the season just ended on loan from Derry City, but contracts at The Brandywell are now null and void following the club's demotion.

Buckley said no talks with current or potential incoming players would take place until after Saturday's presentation dinner, but has acknowledged that the squad will have to increase in number.

The club's Premier status is a factor in that, but Sporting could have at least a dozen more games than the 2009 season because of their participation in the Europa League and Setanta Sports Cup.

- Marcus CAVAROLI