[1] He also lined out as a schoolboy with Thurles CBS, however, his two years in the Harty Cup competition ended without success.
[2] Ryan immediately progressed to the senior team and won National League and Munster SHC medals in his debut season in 1960.
[3][4][5] He claimed a second set of league and provincial titles the following year, before winning his first All-Ireland SHC medal after a defeat of Dublin in the final.
He spent three seasons with the Clare senior hurling team, during which time he lined out against Tipperary in the 1967 Munster final.
[8] Ryan later won a Connacht Club SHC title with Liam Mellows, while he also had a three-year tenure with the Galway senior hurling team.