'Consistency is key' for All-Ireland contenders
With the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship now into straight knockout territory, eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon feels "consistency is key" in the race for Sam Maguire.
The former Dublin defender will watch his county take on Donegal at Croke Park on Sunday [13:15 BST] with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs, and while they go in as underdogs, they face a side that has endured patch form in the championship.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFollowing a shock exit from the Ulsster Championship at the hands of Down, Jim McGuinness' men turned on the style in the All-Ireland SFC Round One game away to Kerry, only to be caught again on home turf in the next round by Cork.
The Dubs lost a Leinster final to Westmeath and then fell to Louth - whom they beat in a provincial semi-final - in the opening round of the All-Ireland series before bouncing back with victory over Cavan.
Between the provincial and All-Ireland championships, there are no undefeated teams .
For Donegal, pre-championship favourites, their up and down form has been something of a surprise, but McMahon feels the jeopardy of elimination may help them refocus.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"They are still a strong outfit with a lot of quality," McMahon told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.
"They still went to Killarney and beat Kerry, so if they get past Dublin and a good draw in a quarter-final, they're still where they want to be.
"Their standards are still high. They are inconsistent but still know what works for them, so if they can iron out the issues and wheat's not working for them, they are still a danger and have nothing to fear.
"They've lost to teams who were underdogs, but have nobody to fear at the top table and maybe that is what they need in terms of motivation because the games they have lost, maybe they haven't got that."
In the wake of victory over Cavan, Dublin manager Ger Brennan called for this Round Three clash to be played in the more intimate surroundings of Parnell Park, which Dublin last used in the football championship back in 2004 against London.
AdvertisementAdvertisementSuch a scenario was unthinkable during McMahon's playing career when Dublin fans packed out Croke Park, but with attendances dwindling following the end of the county's run of nine All-Ireland titles in 12 years, he feels moving this crunch clash to the 8,500-capacity Donnycarney venue "may have given Dublin that little bit of an edge".
However, Croke Park it is with a much greater attendance expected than the 16,160 who showed up for the Louth game.
'GAA must look at severity of bans'
Dublin were boosted against Cavan by the return of Brennan from his 12-week suspension following an incident with Galway strength and conditioning coach Cian Breathnach McGinn during a league game in March.
Brennan's return is a "great lift" according to his former teammate who now hopes that will translate into "a bounce against Donegal".
While much debate surrounded the severity of the suspension, with the issue reopened when Donegal boss McGuinness escaped with no sanction from the game against Kerry when appearing to push midfielder Diarmuid O'Connor as tempers flared at half-time in Killarney.
However, McMahon feels the Donegal boss receiving no punishment "isn't the problem here", but Brennan's ban was "too harsh".
"There should be separate punishments for the harshness of the incident.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"I certainly don't want Jim McGuinness punished for what he did because there are people on the pitch doing the same thing but getting less for the incidents they are involved in.
"People are getting distracted by, 'Ger got this so Jim McGuinness should get it', rather than 'let's look at the ruling and make sure there are two different levels to the punishment'."
'King Con' central to Dublin hopes
Donegal midfielder Ciaran Thompson has not featured since hobbling out of last year's All-Ireland final defeat by Kerry which was a "huge loss" according to McMahon.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"He was so potent last year with the two-pointers coming in off his left.
"He's a tidy footballer, so it's not like Donegal needed the added strength and bonus of him being there, but they have a really good goalkeeper, strong defensive structure and potent going forward.
"Having that mix is no different to a Kerry or Armagh, so that's why they are up there at the top."
While Thompson's recovery from an ACL injury is almost complete, Dublin have had their own recent boost with Con O'Callaghan shaking off a hamstring issue and while his impact will be key to Dublin's hopes this week, McMahon insists the Cuala man will need a strong supporting cast.
"Con has struggled with injuries over the last couple of years that have impacted his performance levels and impacted Dublin.
"He is one piece of the puzzle but the others around him need to step up like Cormac Costello, Niall Scully and Brian Howard.
"Con is important but there are others around him who are going to need a high performance against Donegal."
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
