, ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁McC ull ough ▁would ▁miss ▁the ▁entire ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁cru ci ate ▁lig ament ▁injury . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁Don c aster ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 – 1 9 ▁season ▁after ▁sp ending ▁much ▁of ▁it ▁on ▁loan ▁at ▁T ran m ere ▁Ro vers . ▁ ▁T ran m ere ▁Ro vers ▁ ▁McC ull ough ▁re - signed ▁for ▁T ran m ere ▁on ▁no - cont ract ▁terms ▁on ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁The ▁deal ▁was ▁made ▁permanent ▁ 2 4 ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁McC ull ough ▁first ▁represented ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁at ▁under - 1 6 ▁level ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁captain . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁under - 1 7 s . ▁Although ▁named ▁in ▁the ▁squad ▁twice ▁before , ▁his ▁first ▁appearance ▁for ▁the ▁under - 1 9 s ▁was ▁a ▁start ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 – 1 ▁victory ▁away ▁to ▁Mold ova ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁Although ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁score ▁in ▁that ▁game , ▁he ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁two ▁ass ists . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁he ▁signed ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁Don c aster ▁Ro vers , ▁he ▁also ▁received ▁a ▁call - up ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁under - 2 1 ▁squad ▁in ▁the ▁Mil k ▁Cup . ▁ ▁McC ull ough ▁senior ▁debut ▁came ▁in ▁a ▁friendly ▁loss ▁against ▁Uruguay .