At inter-county level, Curran was part of the successful Cork minor team that won the All-Ireland Championship in 1998 before an unsuccessful three-year stint with the under-21 team. He joined the Cork senior team in 2001. Curran eventually became Cork's first-choice centre-back and made a combined total of 97 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2011. During that time he was part of two All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 2004 and 2005. Curran also secured three Munster Championship medals. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 24 August 2011.