Eoghan Frayne is confident that Meath can bounce back from their devastating Leinster SFC quarter-final loss to Westmeath.

Touted as potential Leinster champions after winning Division 2 of the Allianz League in March, the Royals were ambushed by their neighbours at Glenisk O’Connor Park and will have gone five weeks without a competitive game before they face Cork for a third time this year in Round 1 of the All-Ireland SFC on the weekend of May 23-24.

"It has been tough," the Meath captain told RTÉ at the launch of SuperValu's 'Real Nourishment' campaign.

"The few days after were tough and it got worse each day when we had time to look back at the defeat. Westmeath were probably more up for it than us which is hard to say, but we never really got going. We never got up to the pitch of the game."

Frayne conceded that Meath must tighten up at the back after leaking 4-18 against the Leinster finalists.

"You never want to be conceding goals. Westmeath did their homework and could see how they could get at us, and they scored some savage goals.

"Everyone has to take ownership in defence. It is not just your six defenders. Everyone has to do it. It is a collective effort that everyone is tuned in and on the same page when we are defending."

The Summerhill attacker added: “We know we can compete with the top teams. We showed that last year. Hopefully the loss (to Westmeath) will not define us."

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