Rugby-Ireland hang on to beat France 18-11

DUBLIN, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Ireland hung on to beat France 18-11 in a tense Six Nations clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday to seal their ninth win in a row and make it two victories from two in the defence of their championship. In an intense first half in which the two try lines were rarely threatened, returning flyhalf Johnny Sexton outkicked his opposite number Camille Lopez to give Ireland a 12-6 halftime lead. Ian Madigan, on temporarily for the bloodied Sexton, pushed the hosts three points further in front early in the second half and neither side were able to take advantage of the other being reduced to 14 men before Sexton added another penalty. Replacement Romain Taofifenua scored France's first try of the championship 10 minutes from time to cut the deficit to seven points and set up a possible third draw in the sides' last four meetings but Ireland survived a late onslaught. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Alan Baldwin)