Career
An All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions, Riordan captained the team to the All-Ireland title in 1903. Inter-county
Riordan made his debut for Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat of Galway in the delayed 1902 championship. He later lined out in the All-Ireland decider against London.
The game was played in Cork to mark the opening of the new Cork Athletic Ground.
Having been shocked by the same opposition the previous year Cork made no mistake on this occasion and powered to a 3-13 to 0-0 victory. lieutenant was Riordan"s first All-Ireland medal.
1903 saw Riordan being honoured with the captaincy of the Cork senior hurling team Foreign the third successive year Riordan"s team faced London in the All-Ireland final.
Cork were well on top for the entire game and secured a 3-16 to 1-1 victory.
lieutenant was Riordan"s second consecutive All-Ireland medal. In 1904 Cork were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. The campaign began well with Cork defeating Tipperary by 3-10 to 3-4 to secure a second Munster medal for Riordan.
A subsequent trouncing of Antrim set up an All-Ireland final showdown with Kilkenny.
lieutenant was the beginning of a hugely successful era for "the Cats" as Cork were heading into decline. Riordan was on and off the team over the next few years.
However, he picked up a third Munster medal following a 1-6 to 1-4 defeat of Tipperary in 1907. Cork later reached the All-Ireland final with Kilkenny once again providing the opposition.
A high-scoring, but close, game developed between these two great rivals once again.
As the game entered the final stage there was little to separate the two sides. Jimmy Kelly scored three first-half goals while Jack Anthony scored Kilkenny’s winning point at the death. lieutenant was Riordan"s second defeat in an All-Ireland final, however, the game became the benchmark by which all subsequent All-Ireland performances would be judged.
Riordan retired from inter-county hurling following Cork"s early exit from the 1908 championship.
