 While in the United States in the late 1970s he played for a number of clubs there, including the Cavan club in Philadelphia, Connemara Gaels in Chicago and the Sligo club in New York.An amateur boxer of some note, he also won mid-Ulster titles in the middleweight and light-heavyweight categories.McElhinney also excelled on the soccer field and his early career consisting of playing with local teams including Derry City, Limavady United and Dungiven Celtic, before earning a move to Scottish club Celtic.