EXHIBIT 99

                               PRESS RELEASE



























[ESB FINANCIAL CORPORATION LETTERHEAD]



                          P R E S S   R E L E A S E

RELEASE DATE:                           CONTACT:
-------------                           --------

December 19, 2001                       Frank D. Martz
                                        Group Senior Vice President
                                        of Operations and Secretary
                                        (724) 758-5584


                ESB FINANCIAL CORPORATION ANNOUNCES CASH DIVIDEND

     ESB Financial Corporation announced today that its Board of Directors at
its meeting on December 18, 2001 declared a quarterly cash dividend of $.10
on the Common Stock of ESB Financial Corporation payable on January 25, 2002
to the stockholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2001.

     In announcing the scheduled cash dividend, Charlotte A. Zuschlag,
President and Chief Executive Officer, noted the Company's favorable results
of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2001. The Company
recognized net income for the three month period ended September 30, 2001
of $1.9 million or $.27 per diluted share.  This announcement reflects the
Company's policy of declaring a regular quarterly cash dividend. This
quarterly cash dividend equates to an annual cash dividend of $.40 per share.

     ESB Financial Corporation is the parent Holding Company of ESB Bank,
F.S.B. and offers a wide variety of financial products and services through
seventeen offices in the contiguous counties of Allegheny, Lawrence, Beaver
and Butler in Pennsylvania. The common stock of the Company is traded on the
Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol "ESBF".

                                   -End-