Matthew Folan represented Ireland at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games in the heavyweight and open categories. His best international result came at the 1973 World Judo Championships in Lausanne, where he finished fifth while contesting the bronze medal match.

Folan began practising judo in Dublin in 1959 and later trained at the Kodokan in Tokyo, where he was awarded his Shodan black belt in 1967. He was Irish heavyweight champion for four consecutive years before competing at Olympic and world championship level, becoming one of Ireland’s early representatives in international judo competition.