A fifth victory in a row by Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers in the men’s race in and a course record winning time of 54:20 by Maria McCambridge of Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club were the highlight performances at yesterday’s annual Ballycotton 10 mile in East Cork — the 38th running of this Irish road classic.

British American Tobacco and RJ Reynolds Tobacco have agreed to merge their US tobacco businesses, uniting the nation’s second and third largest tobacco companies in an effort to blunt the attacks of sagging sales and cheaper brands.