Born in Boolavogue, County Wexford, Doran first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Wexford minor team, before later joining the under-21 side. He joined the senior panel during the 1964–65 National League. Doran went on to play a key part for the team over the next two decades, and won one All-Ireland medal, four Leinster medals and two National Hurling League medals. He was an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions.