 While at Bolton Wanderers McElhinney figured in the plans of Northern Ireland manager, Billy Bingham, who included him in a number of pre-1982 World Cup squads.It was not until November 1983 that he won his first cap however, against West Germany in Hamburg.Unperturbed by the situation, he was a rock as a famous 1–0 win was attained, completing a home and away double over the Germans.