Ryan joined the Pallasgreen club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels before joining the club's top adult team. On 15 November2014, he was Pallasgreen's top scorer with five points when the club won the Limerick Intermediate Championship following an 0-11 to 0-08 defeat of Monaleen in the final.
Inter-county
Minor and under-21
Ryan first played for the Limerick minor hurling team at the age of seventeen. On 23 July 2013, he was in goal when Limerick won their first Munster Championship title in 29 years after a 1-20 to 4-08 defeat of Waterford in a replay of the final. Ryan was eligible for the minor grade again the following year and won a second successive Munster Championship medal as an outfield player after a 0-24 to 0-18 second successive defeat of Waterford in a replay of the final. On 7 September 2014, he was at right wing-back for Limerick's 2-17 to 0-19 defeat by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Ryan subsequently joined the Limerick under-21 hurling team and won a Munster Championship medal in his first season after a 0-22 to 0-19 win over Clare in the final. On 12 September 2015, Ryan was at right corner-forward when Limerick defeated Wexford by 0-26 to 1-07 in the All-Ireland final. After surrendering their titles in 2016, Ryan won a second Munster Championship medal after a 0-16 to 1-11 defeat of Cork in the final the following year. On 9 September2017, Ryan was at midfield in Limerick's 0-17 to 0-11 defeat of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. He was later named on the Bord Gáis EnergyTeam of the Year.
Senior
On 19 February 2017, Ryan made his senior debut at right wing-back in a 6-21 to 3-08 defeat of AKerry in the National Hurling League. He was an unused substitute during Limerick's subsequent championship campaign. On 19 August2018, Ryan was a member of the extended panel when Limerick won their first All-Ireland title in 45 years after a 3-16 to 2-18 defeat of Galway in the final. On 31 March 2019, Ryan was named on the bench for Limerick's National League final meeting with Waterford at Croke Park. He collected a winners' medal as a non-playing substitute in the 1-24 to 0-19 victory. On 30 June 2019, Ryan won a Munster Championship medal as a non-playing substitute following Limerick's 2-26 to 2-14 defeat of Tipperary in the final.
