 Healy made his international debut in an experimental line-up which drew with Scotland in the British Home Championship, and won his second cap the following month as Northern Ireland finished their World Cup preparations in the worst of fashions, with a 3–0 defeat by Wales.Healy did enough to impress Billy Bingham, who included him in the 1982 World Cup squad for Spain.He played once at the finals, coming on as substitute for Martin O'Neill in a 1–1 draw with Honduras.