He managed the men's team from 1980 to 1984. He would return to the men's code as a selector in 2015 and was there up until approximately 2020.
Ryan, who steered the Cork ladies footballers to 10 All-Irelands in 11 years between 2005 and 2015 — including their first ever Brendan Martin Cup success in 2005 — had been battling illness. Cork also won nine national football leagues during his two stints at the helm, from 2004 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2015.
On 14 January 2021, Cork LGFA announced that he had died. He was 79.[2][3]