EXHIBIT (a)(9)





Exhibit a(9)

For Immediate Release

                Ambanc Submits Additional Board Nominee to Cohoes

AMSTERDAM,  N.Y.--(BUSINESS  WIRE)-August  25,  2000--Ambanc  Holding Co.,  Inc.
(NASDAQ:  AHCI) ("Ambanc")  announced today that it has submitted the nomination
of Daniel A.  Lanzetta,  III for  election to the Board of  Directors  of Cohoes
Bancorp, Inc. ("Cohoes") at the 2000 annual meeting of Cohoes shareholders.  Mr.
Lanzetta  resides  within the Cohoes local market area and is well  qualified to
serve as a director of Cohoes. Information regarding Mr. Lanzetta is attached.

On August 3, 2000, Ambanc announced that it had submitted two nominees to Cohoes
for election at the next Cohoes annual meeting.  Today's nomination results in a
total of three  persons  nominated  by Ambanc out of a total of four Board seats
open  to  election  at the  next  annual  meeting  of  Cohoes  shareholders.  In
compliance with the applicable  regulations of the Office of Thrift Supervision,
Ambanc has submitted the nominations of three candidates.

On August 17, 2000,  the Cohoes  shareholders  rejected  the proposed  merger of
Cohoes with Hudson River Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Hudson  River").  As a result,  under
applicable law and Cohoes  bylaws,  Cohoes is required to hold an annual meeting
of shareholders in 2000. At that meeting, four board seats are expected to be up
for election.  Ambanc intends to solicit  proxies in favor of its three nominees
and against certain Cohoes nominees.  Cohoes has not publicly announced the date
of its 2000 annual meeting of shareholders.

John Lisicki,  Ambanc's President and CEO stated: "In rejecting the Hudson River
merger,  we believe the  shareholders  of Cohoes have spoken  clearly and loudly
against  the path the  current  Board of Cohoes  has chosen to follow and we are
gratified that the Cohoes shareholders agreed with us regarding the Hudson River
merger. We have stated time and time again our sincere desire to acquire Cohoes,
and time and time again our proposals  have been  dismissed by the current board
and management without serious consideration. We believe that now is the time to
provide to the Cohoes  shareholders  the opportunity to elect directors to their
board who understand that the interests of the shareholders - the true owners of
the company - must be the primary  consideration  in the operation of a publicly
owned company."

Ambanc  Holding Co.,  Inc. is a unitary  savings and loan holding  company.  The
Company's  primary  subsidiary,  Mohawk  Community  Bank,  serves  customers  in
seventeen upstate New York offices, located in Montgomery,  Fulton, Schenectady,
Saratoga,  Albany, Otsego,  Chenango and Schoharie counties. The Bank's deposits
are insured up to the maximum legal amount by the FDIC.






The foregoing material may contain forward-looking  statements.  We caution that
such statements may be subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and actual
results could differ materially and,  therefore,  readers should not place undue
reliance  on any  forward-looking  statements.  Ambanc does not  undertake,  and
specifically  disclaims,  any obligation to publicly  release the results of any
revisions  that may be made to any  forward-looking  statements  to reflect  the
occurrence of anticipated or  unanticipated  events or  circumstances  after the
date of such statements.

Ambanc  commenced a tender offer on August 9, 2000,  for all of the  outstanding
shares of Cohoes and has filed  tender  offer  materials  with the SEC which set
forth the  complete  details of Ambanc's  tender  offer.  WE URGE  INVESTORS  TO
CAREFULLY  READ THE  TENDER  OFFER  MATERIALS  BECAUSE  THEY  CONTAIN  IMPORTANT
INFORMATION.  Investors may obtain a free copy of the tender offer  materials at
the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. These documents may also be obtained for free
from Ambanc by  directing a written  request to Ambanc  Holding  Co.,  Inc.,  11
Division Street, Amsterdam, New York 12010, Attention: Secretary.


                      INFORMATION REGARDING AMBANC NOMINEE
                    FOR ELECTION TO COHOES BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Daniel A. Lanzetta III. Mr.  Lanzetta  lives in  Loudonville,  New York and is a
----------------------
Registered  Investment  Advisor.  He is the  President and sole  shareholder  of
Sterling Asset Management  Company,  Inc.,  Loudonville,  New York. He is also a
manager of Financial  Institutions  Fund,  LLC, a private  investment  fund,  of
Albany, New York. Mr. Lanzetta owns 7,000 shares of Cohoes common stock.

                                       ###


CONTACT: Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.
John M. Lisicki, President & CEO  (518) 842-7200
jlisicki@mohawkcommunitybank.com