Ryan, while lying on the ground, was struck in the face by a wild pull and received multiple stitches.
The year began well for Ryan as he captured a National Hurling League winners' medal following a 3–15 to 2–9 defeat of Offaly.
[7] In 1989 Tipperary were still the best team in Munster and Ryan won his second provincial title in-a-row after a 0–26 to 2–8 trouncing of Waterford.
Antrim's relative inexperience robbed the final of any real element of contest and Tipp romped home to a 4–24 to 3–9 win, courtesy of a star performance by Nicky English.
[8] After surrendering their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1990, Tipp returned the following year to defeat Cork in a thrilling Munster final replay.
That year Ryan added a fourth Munster winners' medal to his collection as Tipp trounced Clare by 3–27 to 2–12.
This defeat brought the curtain down on Tipp's great revival, however, Ryan did collect a second National League title in 1994.
Clare were well on top for much of the game, however, Liam Cahill and Eugene O'Neill scored twice for Tipp in the last ten minutes.
John Leahy missed a goal chance in the last minute while another Tipp point was controversially ruled wide.
Ryan added a third National League medal to his collection in 1999; however, further success in the championship still eluded him with provincial final defeat again in 2000.
[10] Not only did Ryan collect his third All-Ireland winners' medal but he also joined an exclusive club of players to have won championship titles in three separate decades.
In his first year in charge Tipperary won the Munster Minor Hurling Championship with a 0–18 to 1–11 win against Cork in the final.
On 9 November 2010, Ryan was appointed as the Tipperary Senior hurling manager on a two-year term, succeeding Liam Sheedy.
[16] Ryan's first game in charge was in January 2011 in the 2011 Waterford Crystal Cup against WIT where Tipperary were defeated by a scoreline of 2–17 to 1–19 in Clonmel.
[21][22] On 10 July 2011, in his first Munster Final as manager, Tipperary defeated Waterford by 7–19 to 0–19 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
[23] Ryan guided Tipperary past Dublin in the semi-final to meet Kilkenny in the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final where they were defeated by 2–17 to 1–16.
[24] In March 2012, Ryan managed Tipperary to their first trophy of the year by winning the Waterford Crystal Cup against Clare in Sixmilebridge by 1–21 to 2–12.