At club level he played with Ballinascarthy, Carbery and St Finbarr's and was a member of and later managed the Cork senior football team.
Beginning with Ballinascarthy, he earned inclusion on the Carbery divisional team that won County Championship titles in 1968 and 1971.
Holland first appeared in the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor football team that won the Munster Minor Championship title in 1966, before later winning a Munster Under-21 Championship title in 1969.
Holland's managerial experience at club level includes stints in charge of Clonakilty and the Carbery divisional team.
His tenure as a selector also saw Cork lose the 1993 All-Ireland final to Derry.