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AFTER ALL the talk, security seemed loose but still rather tighter than it needed to be at Carton House near Maynooth yesterday as Real Madrid rolled out their stars to train in front of the media for the first time.

Sure, there appeared to be a disproportionate number of high-ranking uniformed Gardai knocking around the place and two members of the Spanish club’s entourage with responsibility for keeping players, press and punters firmly apart did briefly wander from door to door making almost random attempts to prevent journalists entering areas they were supposed to be allowed into until finally they settled upon the door we were actually supposed to be kept out of.