Your Win Condition
Trade at level eleven.
General Strategy
3Q>E max This is a hard counter matchup and you need to give Irelia a lot of respect in lane. Respect Irelia’s mobility and engage potential with low minions. Respect Irelia’s Level 1 with q and full stacked passive. Respect Itelia’s Level 2 with q, stun, and full stacked passive especially if she is pushing into you. If you get hit by that she can dive you herself if she plays if properly especially if she is running ignite. If you are both six and the wave is near her turret she can kill you if you do not dodge or flash her ultimate. There is little you can do if she freezes the wave and preps the caster minions so she can dash onto you. Stay in xp range and try not to get engaged on.
Trading Patterns
Do not trade with Irelia in the early game. You can only win the early 1v1 level 1 if you bring Doran’s Blade, Lethal or PTA, and Ignite and fight her before she starts getting passive stacks. This strategy is very effective in contesting the level 1 and early waves against Irelia, but a good Irelia can see your set-up and play around it. You can some positive trades after six when her stun is down and if you can space her q. Even if you get a positive trade against her, her sustain from vampiric scepter, DShield or Dblade, and q will often be able to heal her back to full. You start doing meaningful damage against her with first item, however, Irelia still has the damage to kill you if you misplay.
Wave Management
You will want the wave permanently near your turret. Try to thin the wave with your q if Irelia is trying to hard shove you in and freeze on you when the wave bounces. Try not to inadvertently push the wave when you are farming with q.
Their Win Condition
Irelia wants to stack her passive and jump onto you. Her mobility is insane with the minion wave so she often has easy access to you especially if she preps minions with autos beforehand. She would love to freeze on you and deny you xp especially with her mobility and early game strength.
