19/10/2025
Castle Rangers FC 1 - 0 Wolfhill Athletic FC
Castle Rangers secured a gritty home victory over newly promoted Wolfhill Athletic, clinching all three points in a tightly contested affair.
The hosts nearly broke the deadlock just six minutes in when Luke Bailey latched onto a flicked throw-in at the back post. He controlled the ball superbly and unleashed a volley that rattled the woodwork. Moments later, Castle thought they had taken the lead, only for the goal to be ruled offside.
Wolfhill responded with their best chance of the half around the 25-minute mark, but Castle’s keeper Adam Duggan was alert, diving low to smother the effort. The first half ended goalless, with both sides showing flashes of promise.
The second half saw a more balanced contest. Castle suffered a setback with two midfielders forced off through injury, but substitutes kept the momentum alive. On 58 minutes, Wolfhill came agonizingly close when their winger turned sharply outside the box and fired a rocket toward the top corner. Duggan produced a sensational save, leaping across goal to tip the ball wide with his fingertips.
Buoyed by their keeper’s heroics, Castle began to press harder. Craig Bowden and Mark O'Brien led the charge, carving out chances as the pressure mounted. The breakthrough finally came in the 82nd minute: Luke Bailey delivered a curling free kick that evaded the Wolfhill keeper, finding Kyle O'Brien, who cushioned a header into the top corner to seal the win.
Standout performers for Castle Rangers included Adam Duggan, Matthew O'Donovan, Dylan Salter, and Luke Bailey.