Westmeath boss Shane O'Brien felt his side missed a glorious opportunity to take Cork's scalp yesterday.

A first-ever league victory over the 30-time All-Ireland champions slipped from the Lake County's grasp at a Storm Dennis-battered TEG Cusack Park where the dead-ball heroics of Patrick Horgan ultimately proved decisive.

"It was a game that got away from us, there’s no doubt about it," O’Brien lamented in an interview with RTÉ.

"We could have done something very special here. We’re naturally very disappointed. There was huge breeze in the first half, it died off in the second half. We felt the game was there for us. The [Bill Cooper] goal just after half-time was a tough one to take.

"We are immensely proud of the performance the lads put in. We have a very ambitious group."

Despite having lost their first three games in Division 1, O'Brien remains optimistic ahead of a daunting trip to Nenagh to face All-Ireland champions Tipperary next weekend.

"Westmeath is a county that has been waiting 32 years to be in this division and [playing against the top teams] is what all these lads have been dreaming about,  we’re embracing it," the Dubliner continued.

"How could you not love being out there playing against the likes of Cork and Waterford and Tipp?

"We have the last three All-Ireland champions in our group so we see it as a fantastic opportunity to put Westmeath on the map."

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