Image edited and article written by Megalodontus
The sole representative of Ireland, Phelan Gaming, have done the unthinkable. From nearly having to play relegations to now having a minimum finish of 3rd place in the League of Legends UKLC Summer Split.
Their next opponent is Excel UK, and this will be Phelan’s hardest task yet. Can they muster every ounce of skill and courage to face Excel’s onslaught? Megalodontus recaps Round 3/4 and takes a quick look in.
If you missed Phelan Gaming’s previous 2 matches, you can read about this here and find the VODs at the official LVP UKLC YouTube channel.
LPL or UK Scene? Sof is on fire as Phelan dismantle Demise 2-0 in Round 3
The rookie reapers of Demise had a great regular season and with their grim scythes aimed to stop the Irish wolves in their hunt. But the pack stood firm.
In the 3rd round of the UKLC’s grueling gauntlet, Phelan gave fans and neutrals alike a series to remember. The amount of kills they racked up made it look as if they were a team from the LPL!
Game 1 had the red carpet unfurled for jungler Sof, whose Olaf terrorised Demise throughout the whole game. The early game went horribly wrong for Demise as Sof along with Achuu and Visdom greatly set Hidon and Demise’s botlane behind with a long, drawn out invade.
Demise’s only ray of hope came in the form of a sneaky Baron take but even that wasn’t enough. Phelan continued to apply relentless pressure and eventually took Game 1, Sof ending the game with a monstrous K/D/A of 11/1/6 and Phelan accumulating 36 kills.
https://twitter.com/LVPukLoL/status/1164231033690234882
Game 2 saw Demise allow Phelan to secure their incredibly potent Ziggs/Volibear botlane combo. They soon regretted this decision as Sof and Chemera’s roams towards bot side paid off huge dividends by gifting Achuu 3 early kills. Sof too, on Olaf again, was racking up kills left and right.
Game 2 proved to be an equally bloody game but even more one-sided than the first. Phelan proceeded to take the Baron just before the 25-minute mark and took the series soon after, ending the game with 33 kills.
Sof once again was a Norse god incarnate with a score of 11/4/10 while Achuu and Chemera racked up K/D/A scores of 10/1/7 and 8/1/12 respectively.
Phelan Gaming had truly dismantled Demise Esports. It turns out the reaper was Phelan all along.
https://twitter.com/HeyMunchables/status/1164245749082857473
The wolves chow down on marshmallows (Phelan 2 – 1 MnM)
Phelan’s grit and never-say-die attitude brought them face to face with the full English (pun intended) in MnM Gaming, the team that upset the balance of Excel UK and Fnatic Rising’s dominance at the top of the tower.
But if anime has taught us anything, one must believe in the power of friendship and aim to go beyond! So did Phelan go plus ultra? They certainly did in Game 1!
Phelan refused to lose. Drafting their previous comp of Pantheon for Beartree, Shen for Visdom and boldly, Lee Sin for Sof in game 1, MnM answered with putting Chibs on his signature Irelia and Yusa on Ezreal.
It seemed like the marshmallow ninjas had figured out Phelan’s early game pattern, going into the mid game with a sizable advantage. But Phelan slowly picked off MnM’s members while stalling the game. This would eventually lead into them taking the Baron and securing a lifeline.
The game would continue to be close with both sides getting away with extremely close fights. But Yusa’s over-eagerness in trying to secure a kill ended up wasting flash, and this cost MnM dearly as Phelan took the ensuing fight in the late game, securing both Baron and Elder Dragon. With both major objectives in hand, Phelan set up a great ambush and caught MnM by surprise, proceeding to take out MnM’s vital carries in Chibs and Yusa before winning Game 1 in 39 minutes.
https://twitter.com/LVPukLoL/status/1164264693214666752
MnM Gaming were not done yet. In game 2 they let Phelan have their favourite Yordle in Ziggs while making sure Visdom did not get Volibear or Shen. With OnlyAngel on Fiora and Shogun on his infamous Thresh, it was time for a spot of vengeance.
Once again MnM took the early lead. This time they preyed on Beartree’s Mordekaiser and Visdom’s overeager engages as Pantheon support. But again, Phelan slowly worked their way back into the game, even managing to take the Baron away from MnM 26 minutes in.
The difference this time was MnM found a key opening at around 32 minutes in, taking a crucial teamfight and Baron after, effectively breaking the deadlock.
By now Chemera’s Zed was more of an irritant than a threat. Thanks to Achuu’s brilliantly placed ultimates, Phelan stalled for a while longer, but it would prove to be all for naught, as MnM eventually tore Phelan’s defenses limb from limb, eventually taking the Nexus and Game 2.
Ok spirit visage turned out ok…
📺https://t.co/QcJhplC76Z#ForTheFlame @LVPukLoL pic.twitter.com/wXXwVIBPXG
— MNM Gaming (@MNMGaming) August 21, 2019
The deciding game 3 was possibly the closest game played in the gauntlet thus far. Visdom once again got his hands on Volibear and Shogun on his game-changing Thresh.
It was even early, before Phelan took a big 4v4 fight at Herald, losing the fight and giving Chibs’s Irelia a Quadra Kill. Phelan Gaming however continued unfettered, determined to fearlessly sally forth as they so often have this series. They kept up in gold.
The deciding moment that ended this tense stalemate was at 24 minutes where Phelan took Baron, taking out 4 of MnM’s members while only losing 2.
But MnM also refused to back down, winning a few skirmishes and taking towers. Game 3 was being pushed into a standstill once again. Confident after their big teamfight win, MnM pressed on and chose to unwisely contest Phelan for a Cloud Drake.
Like the pack of hungry wolves they are, Phelan clamped down their jaws hard and aced the careless blobs of flaming gelatin. A 2nd Baron and a 7k gold lead at 33 minutes later, Phelan secured an historical win and booked their place in the semi-finals against Excel UK.
https://twitter.com/LVPukLoL/status/1164295929563885570
Excel vs Phelan semi-final preview
And now finally, the moment the audience has been waiting for. No, not the Brexit deal. The top 3 teams of the UKLC gauntlet!
Phelan Gaming have clawed their way up from the depths of the iron gauntlet, playing 9 long games on the trot. This has now earned them the privilege of facing the juggernaut in Excel UK.
If they thought facing MnM Gaming was a task most arduous, defeating XL would be that and a whole lot more. Well known this season as “Flexcel” for their propensity to draft just about anything and place them in any lane, XL will no doubt make full use of their champion oceans to beguile opponents before the match has even begun.
Despite their surprise loss to MnM Gaming in Tower 7 (with Hjarnan playing Singed!), taking XL lightly would be foolish. At their best XL have shown they are more than capable of literally running through teams, defeating Diabolus Esports in just a little over 22 minutes in Tower 7.
This match will also determine who goes to Twickenham to face Fnatic in the UKLC finals and the EU Masters.
Who will still be left standing once the dust has settled?
Tune in at 6pm BST today (August 22nd) at https://www.twitch.tv/lvpuklol to catch the all the action live once again.
Megalodontus is a miraculous survivor from the mass extinction and somehow learnt how to use his stubby fins to operate complicated mechanical equipment and drink tea. Worryingly for cryptozoologists, he’s been writing League of Legends articles too.
A self-taught writer who’s had the privilege to work with good editors who aren’t terrified of his pearly whites, Megalodontus is often seen writing either independently or for various websites such as this one. When not writing, he usually runs it down mid in real life and is fascinated with watching paint dry.
