Clara were convincing 1–16 to 0–11 winners, with Ryan picking up an All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship medal.

[5] A year after making the step up to the top flight, Clara faced hot favourites Carrickshock in the senior championship decider in 2013.

[9] Kilkenny subsequently had the chance to retain the All-Ireland crown, however, Ryan's side faced a narrow 0–15 to 0–14 defeat by first time champions Clare.

[10] Ryan joined the senior team after the 2011 National Hurling League and was a member of the panel for the subsequent Leinster and All-Ireland victories.

The 2012 National Hurling League was Ryan's first full campaign with the Kilkenny senior team, however, a knee cartilage injury after the first two rounds resulted in him facing a month-long lay-off.

He won a National Hurling League medal on the field of play that year as Kilkenny defeated Tipperary by 2–17 to 0–20.

[14] He made a number of appearances in the championship, including in Kilkenny's 0–24 to 1–9 trouncing of Dublin in which he claimed his first Leinster medal on the field of play.

Ryan had the unique honour of captaining Kilkenny again in 2016 due to an injury sustained by club mate Shane Prendergast.

He lifted the Bob O Keeffe cup for the second time on 3 July 2016 when Kilkenny defeated Galway in the provincial decider.