Robbie Brennan was making no excuses after his Meath side were ambushed by Westmeath in the Leinster SFC.

The Royal County boss acknowledged that the 1/7 favourites "struggled to get to the pitch of championship football" after their surprise five-point quarter-final defeat in Tullamore.

"It's hugely disappointing obviously for us, but Westmeath were the better team, so no complaints on our side," he told RTÉ.

"We knew they were good in transition from our analysis on them; they have quick runners across the pitch, so transition was always going to be a worry. For us, we gave the ball away too many times today and they hurt us in those moments."

The only crumb of consolation for Brennan was the fight the Royals showed in reducing the deficit from 10 points to two before Danny McCartan’s last-gasp goal finally settled it.

"There was great fight from the lads and all credit to them in being able to do that on a day where we haven't played well. On another day, we could have sneaked it but it would not have been deserved."

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