Patterson was born at Downpatrick and was educated at Down High School.
[1] Playing his club cricket for Downpatrick,[1] Patterson made his debut for Ireland in a List A one-day match against Surrey at The Oval in the 1984 NatWest Trophy.
[2] Later that season, he made his debut in first-class cricket when Ireland played Scotland at Glasgow.
[3] He played a further List A match against Sussex at Hove in the 1985 NatWest Trophy.
[6] He continued to play club cricket into the late 1990s, leaving Downpatrick on acrimonious terms in 1998.