At club level he played with Borris–Ileigh and was also a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team.
Ryan played hurling as a schoolboy at Our Lady's Secondary School in Templemore where he won a Croke and Harty Cup double in 1978.
[1] He first played for Borris–Ileigh at juvenile and underage levels, before winning a divisional medal with the junior team in 1978.
He was captain of the Borris–Ileigh team that beat Rathnure in the 1987 All-Ireland club final.
[2][3] Ryan first played for Tipperary during a two-year tenure at minor level.