for the minor team for a third successive season, he broke onto the starting fifteen as first-choice goalkeeper for the 1977 Leinster Minor Championship. Ryan collected his third provincial winners' medal, his first on the field of play, before later winning a second All-Ireland medal after the 1–08 to 0-09 All-Ireland final defeat of Cork in what was his last game in the minor grade. Ryan was in his final year of being eligible for the Kilkenny under-21 team when he was appointed captain in advance of the 1980 Leinster Under-21 Championship. He won his only Leinster Under-21 Championship title that year after a 2–14 to 2–09 defeat of Wexford in the final. Ryan later led the team to an All-Ireland final appearance against Tipperary, however, he ended his underage career with a 2–09 to 0–14 defeat. Senior After success at club level with Clara, Ryan was a late addition to the Kilkenny senior panel during the 1982-83 National League. He was an unused substitute when Kilkenny secured the league title after a 2–14 to 2–12 defeat of Limerick in the final but was dropped from the panel for the subsequent championship campaign. After being again omitted from the panel the following year, Ryan impressed in a series of tournament games and earned a recall prior to the start of the 1985 Leinster Championship. He made his championship debut on 26 May 1985 when he came on as a 52nd-minute substitute for Richie Power in a 1–30 to 1–10 defeat of Westmeath. Ryan broke onto the starting fifteen during the 1985-86 National League and claimed a second winners' medal in that competition after Kilkenny's 2–10 to 2–06 victory over Galway in the final. He later won his first Leinster Championship medal after lining out at right corner-forward in the 4–10 to 1–11 victory over Offaly. Ryan was switched to midfield the following year and claimed a second successive Leinster Championship medal after a second successive victory over Offaly in the 1987 Leinster final. He was again at midfield when Kilkenny suffered a 1–12 to 0–09 defeat by Galway in the 1987 All-Ireland final. Ryan claimed a third National League medal after Kilkenny clinched the 1989-90 title following wins over Wexford and New York. By the start of the 1991 Leinster Championship, he had lost his place on the starting fifteen, however, he collected a third provincial winners' medal after coming