 Moran played at underage level for Cork and played with Cork in the 2006 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship, winning the Munster championship.In 2008, he was a key player for Carrigaline as they won the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship, being described as the team defence's "bedrock".Moran was among the players who were called up to the Cork senior squad by Gerald McCarthy for the 2009 National Hurling League when the 2008 squad refused to play under McCarthy, having featured in the pre-season Waterford Crystal tournament.