McHale came through the Manchester City Academy before joining Barnsley on an 18-month contract in February 2014 after leaving City by mutual consent.[9]
After playing on trial for Salford City he signed for the club in August 2017 and made his debut as a late substitute in a league match against Stockport County on 15 August.[17] In February 2018 he joined Trafford on loan,[18] before the following month moving, again on loan, to Hyde United,[19] for whom he played six league matches.[20]
On 30 August 2019 he joined League Two team Oldham Athletic having trained with them over the summer period.[24] He made one brief appearance in the Football League, as a very late substitute in a 2–2 draw away to Plymouth Argyle on 7 September,[2] and after three months, his contract was terminated by mutual consent.[25] He joined Romford,[26] but left again in January 2020.[27]
In March 2020 he rejoined Ashton United,[28] and later that year signed for National League North club AFC Telford United.[29] On 25 March 2022, McHale joined another National League North club, Darlington, on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season,[30] at the end of which he was released by his parent club.[31]
McHale signed for Radcliffe of the Northern Premier League Premier Division ahead of the 2022–23 season,[32] and played three times before signing on loan for divisional rivals Matlock Town in September 2022.[33] After a month, during which he made five league appearances,[34] McHale returned to the National League North on a one-month loan at Gloucester City.[35] He scored twice on debut as his new side beat Farsley Celtic 5–1.[36] On 25 November 2022, McHale terminated his contract at Radcliffe by mutual consent,[37] signing permanently for Gloucester City the following day on a deal until the end of the season.[38] Four goals and four assists during January 2023 earned him the National League North Player of the Month award,[39] and he finished the season with 12 goals from 28 league matches.[2]
McHale joined another National North club, Brackley Town, ahead of the 2023–24 season.[40] He made 18 league appearances without scoring before his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 5 January 2024. His tour of that division continued the same day, first with Scarborough Athletic[41][42] and then, after 14 league matches without scoring,[2] with Hereford, which he joined on 22 March on loan until the end of the season.[43]
On 1 June 2024, McHale joined Northern Premier League Division One West club Hednesford Town.[44]
Statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition