Ryan played hurling as a schoolboy at Templemore CBS where he won consecutive Corn Phádraig titles and a Dr. Kinnane Cup in 1974 and 1975.
[1] He first played for Borris–Ileigh at juvenile and underage levels before eventually joining the club's senior team.
His accountancy studies and subsequent career abroad brought a premature end to his hurling, however, he rejoined the Borris–Ileigh team and trained with them in advance of their defeat of Rathnure in the 1987 All-Ireland club final.
[3] Ryan subsequently spent three years with the under-21 team and won consecutive All-Ireland U21HC medals in 1978 and 1979.
[7] His brothers, Bobby and Aidan, were part of the Tipperary team that won All-Ireland titles in 1989 and 1991.