Consent of Independent Certified Public Accountants




The Board of Directors
Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.

We  consent  to  incorporation  by  reference  in  the  following   registration
statements:

   File No. 333-50973 on Form S-8,
   File No. 333-50975 on Form S-8,
   File No. 333-59721 on Form S-8, and
   File No. 333-86515 on Form S-8

of Ambanc  Holding Co., Inc. of our report dated  February 9, 2001,  relating to
the consolidated  statements of financial  condition of Ambanc Holding Co., Inc.
and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2000 and 1999, and the related  consolidated
statements of income,  changes in shareholders'  equity, and cash flows for each
of the years in the  three-year  period ended  December  31, 2000,  which report
appears in the  December 31, 2000 Annual  Report on Form 10-K of Ambanc  Holding
Co., Inc.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Albany, New York
March 23, 2001