He played hurling at various times with his local clubs Éire Óg, Mullinavat, Mount Sion and Mooncoin and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team in the 1940s and the 1950s.
Dowling played at midfield on the Kilkenny minor team of 1939 when beaten in the All-Ireland final by Cork, and later he played as a half-forward with the county junior side.
His lone major success at senior level was the Oireachtas win of 1947.
This was Dowling's lone appearance in Croke Park as a player on All-Ireland day, but despite a full blooded performances 'the Cats' had to give best to old rivals, Tipperary.
At club level he won four senior championships with Éire Óg, who were a huge force at the time.