The sweeping changes that overhauled the GAA football rule book have revitalised the game, but Sunday Game analysts Ciarán Whelan and Lee Keegan saw an attacking trend in the Allianz Football League Division 3 final which caused them concern.
Down were hot favourites against Wexford at Croke Park, but required extra time to see off the Model men on a 0-21 to 0-18 scoreline.
Both sides leaned heavily on ponderous and deliberate attacks when in possession of the ball, with handpassing the order of the day.
The Mourne men were particularly reliant on the tactic, and Whelan and Keegan regarded it in some ways as a throwback to the bad old days.
'Like a prison sentence' - Some of those who watched Down v Wexford may have felt they'd done hard time, with ponderous, deliberate, handpassing attacks holding sway
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 29, 2026
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"That's the evolvement of the coaches, and if teams are winning, they'll do that," a realistic Whelan opined.
"That's the kind of trend you're looking at, but it was a very slow game. It was all slow attacks.
"As a spectacle, if more teams adapt to do that, it's concerning."
Keegan said: "That was a hard watch last night.
"You can say 'fair play' to Wexford, but that was a hard watch.
"I'd say you could nearly put on one hand the amount of kickpassing in that game. It was handpass, handpass, handpass, handpass."
When host Joanne Cantwell interjected and questioned whether that should result in a ban on the handpass, the Mayo man retorted: "It's not the handpass, but it's about progression; getting your head up and playing with a bit of freedom.
"I just felt the game was nearly like a prison sentence."
