Doncaster Rovers: McCullough gets international recall

Luke McCullough has been rewarded for his form since returning to action with Doncaster Rovers with a call up for a Northern Ireland training squad.
Luke McCulloughLuke McCullough
Luke McCullough

McCullough had looked set to miss the entire campaign after suffering cruciate ligament damage in a pre-season friendly at York City last summer.

But he returned for seven of the final eight matches of the season, impressing in the defensive midfield role which had previously been marked out for him.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And that form has been noticed by Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill ahead of a friendly against New Zealand and a World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.

McCullough will join up with a training squad next Monday ahead of the New Zealand clash on June 2.

He is looking to pick up his sixth senior cap for his country and his first since a five minute cameo in a Euro 2016 qualifier with Greece in October 2015.

McCullough, who made his international debut in 2014, was a member of the squad which competed at Euro 2016 in France but did not feature.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rovers boss Darren Ferguson admitted he should not have played McCullough in the final game of the season at Hartlepool United.

McCullough was as poor as he has been in Rovers colours on a day when victory was essential if they were to have any chance of winning the League Two title.

Ferguson admitted the 23-year-old had played too many games since his return to action and was not fit enough for the game.

“It was one game too many for him,” Ferguson said. “He just ran out of gas.”