COHOES BANCORP INC
8-K, 2000-05-05
SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, NOT FEDERALLY CHARTERED
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 April 25, 2000


                              COHOES BANCORP, INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)


Delaware                           000-25027                  14-1807865
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other            (Commission File Number)             (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                                                  Identification
incorporation)                                                   Number)


                  75 Remsen Street, Cohoes, New York  12047
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (518) 233-6500


                                       N/A
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

<PAGE>



Item  5.     Other Events

     On April 25, 2000,  the board of directors  of Hudson River  Bancorp,  Inc.
("Hudson River"),  the holding company of Hudson River Bank & Trust Company, and
Cohoes  Bancorp,  Inc.  ("Cohoes"),  the holding company of Cohoes Savings Bank,
entered into a definitive  agreement  (the "Merger  Agreement")  to combine in a
merger of equals  (the  "Merger").  The  Merger  Agreement  calls for a tax-free
exchange of each  outstanding  share of Cohoes  common stock for 1.185 shares of
Hudson River common stock. In addition, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Cohoes
Savings Bank will merge with Hudson River Bank & Trust Company.

     In connection  with the Merger  Agreement,  Hudson River and Cohoes entered
into option  agreements (the "Option  Agreements")  pursuant to which each party
granted the other party  options,  exerciable  under certain  circumstances,  to
purchase shares of their respective  common stock in an amount equal to 19.9% of
the total  number of  outstanding  shares of either  Hudson  River's or Cohoes's
common stock as of the day the options become exeercisable.

     The Merger will be accounted  for as a purchase and is expected to close in
the fourth quarter of 2000. The Merger Agreement has been approved by the boards
of  directors  of both  companies.  However,  it is  subject  to  certain  other
conditions,  including the approvals of the  shareholders  of both companies and
the approvals of regulatory authorities.

     The foregoing  information does not purport to be complete and is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the Agreement and the Option Agreements attached
hereto.


Item 7.      Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

         (c)      Exhibits

                  See Exhibit Index

<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                           COHOES BANCORP, INC.



Date: May 5, 2000                          By: /s/ Richard A. Ahl
                                                -------------------------
                                                Richard A. Ahl
                                                Chief Financial Officer
<PAGE>


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION

2.1      Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 25, 2000, between
         Hudson River Bancorp, Inc. and Cohoes Bancorp, Inc.

2.2      Stock Option Agreement dated  as of April 25, 2000 between
         Cohoes Bancorp, Inc. and Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.

2.3      Stock Option Agreement dated as of April 25, 2000 between
         Hudson River Bancorp, Inc. and Cohoes Bancorp, Inc.



                                                                     Exhibit 2.1










                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER


                                     between


                              COHOES BANCORP, INC.

                                       and

                           HUDSON RIVER BANCORP, INC.


                                 April 25, 2000



<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                     Page Number

                                    ARTICLE I
                   DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION

1.1 Definitions..............................................................2
1.2 Rules of Interpretation.................................................10

                                   ARTICLE II
                                 PLAN OF MERGER

2.1 The Merger..............................................................10
2.2 Surviving Corporation...................................................11
2.3 Closing.................................................................13
2.4 Treatment of Capital Stock..............................................13
2.5 Shareholder Rights; Stock Transfers.....................................13
2.6 Fractional Shares.......................................................13
2.7 Options.................................................................14
2.8 Exchange Procedures.....................................................14
2.9 Additional Actions......................................................16

                                   ARTICLE III
                      MUTUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
                           WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTIES

3.1 Capital Structure.......................................................16
3.2 Registrations...........................................................17
3.3 Subsidiaries............................................................17
3.4 This Agreement..........................................................17
3.5 Financial Statements; No Adverse Change.................................18
3.6 Fairness Opinion........................................................18
3.7 Interim Events..........................................................19

                                   ARTICLE IV
            MUTUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO
                       THE PARTIES AND THEIR SUBSIDIARIES

4.1 Organization and Good Standing..........................................19
4.2 Compliance with Law.....................................................19
4.3 Regulatory Reports......................................................20
4.4 Governmental Approvals..................................................20
4.5 No Violations...........................................................21
4.6 No Broker's or Finder's Fees............................................21
4.7 Equity Holdings ........................................................21


                                        i

<PAGE>



4.8 Litigation and Other Proceedings........................................21
4.9 Environmental Matters...................................................21
4.10 Tax Matters............................................................22
4.11 Year 2000 Compliant....................................................23
4.12 Insurance..............................................................24
4.13 Labor..................................................................24
4.14 Indemnification........................................................24
4.15 Loan Portfolio.........................................................24
4.16 Investment Portfolio...................................................25
4.17 Defaults...............................................................25
4.18 Real Estate Loans and Investments......................................25
4.19 Derivatives Contracts..................................................25
4.20 Employee Benefit Plans.................................................26
4.21 Properties.............................................................29
4.22 Certain Agreements.....................................................30
4.23 Material Interests of Certain Persons..................................31
4.24 No Impediments.........................................................31
4.25 Liquidation Account....................................................31
4.26 Disclosures............................................................31

                                    ARTICLE V
                         ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS AND
                              WARRANTIES OF COHOES

5.1 Registration Obligations................................................32

                                   ARTICLE VI
                                    COVENANTS

6.1 Reasonable Best Efforts.................................................32
6.2 Shareholders' Meetings..................................................32
6.3 Regulatory Matters......................................................32
6.4 Investigation and Confidentiality.......................................33
6.5 Press Releases..........................................................35
6.6 Business of the Parties.................................................35
6.7 Certain Actions.........................................................40
6.8 Current Information.....................................................40
6.9 Indemnification.........................................................40
6.10 Environmental Reports..................................................43
6.11 Employees and Employee Benefit Plans...................................43
6.12 Bank Merger and Resulting Institution..................................47
6.13 Litigation Matters.....................................................49
6.14 Conforming Entries.....................................................49
6.15  INTENTIONALLY OMITTED.................................................50
6.16 Disclosure Supplements.................................................51
6.17 Failure to Fulfill Conditions..........................................51


                                        ii

<PAGE>



6.18 Proxy Solicitor........................................................51
6.19 Surviving Corporation Common Stock.....................................51
6.20 Prospectus/Joint Proxy Statement.......................................51
6.21 Tax Opinion............................................................52
6.22 Reservation of Shares to
      Satisfy Cohoes Continuing Options.....................................52
6.23 Listing................................................................53
6.24 New Affiliates.........................................................53

                                   ARTICLE VII
                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

7.1 Conditions Precedent - the Parties......................................53
7.2 Conditions Precedent - Cohoes...........................................55
7.3 Conditions Precedent - Hudson...........................................56

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                         TERMINATION, WAIVER, AMENDMENT
                            AND SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

8.1 Termination.............................................................57
8.2 Effect of Termination...................................................58
8.3 Survival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants...................59
8.4 Waiver..................................................................59
8.5 Amendment or Supplement.................................................59
8.6 Specific Performance....................................................59

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

9.1 Expenses................................................................60
9.2 Entire Agreement........................................................60
9.3 No Assignment...........................................................61
9.4 Notices.................................................................61
9.5 Counterparts............................................................62
9.6 Governing Law...........................................................62
9.7 Severability............................................................62
9.8 Standard of Breach......................................................62




                                        iii

<PAGE>




Exhibit  A - Cohoes  Stock  Option  Agreement  Exhibit B - Hudson  Stock  Option
Agreement  Exhibit C - Hudson  Directors'  Voting  Agreement  Exhibit D - Cohoes
Directors' Voting Agreement Exhibit E - Cohoes Affiliates  Agreement Exhibit F -
Robinson Employment  Agreement Exhibit G - Florio Employment Agreement Exhibit H
- - Blow Employment  Agreement  Exhibit I - Ahl Employment  Agreement  Exhibit J -
Richter Employment Agreement Exhibit K - Proposed Amendments to Hudson's Charter
Exhibit L - Proposed Amendments to Hudson's Bylaws


                                        iv

<PAGE>
                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

      THIS  AGREEMENT  AND PLAN OF MERGER is dated as of April 25, 2000,  by and
between Cohoes and Hudson.

      WHEREAS,  Cohoes and Hudson  desire to combine  their  respective  holding
companies  through a  tax-free,  stock-for-stock  merger so that the  respective
shareholders of Cohoes and Hudson will have an equity  ownership in the combined
holding company;

      WHEREAS, neither the Board of Cohoes nor the Board of Hudson seeks to sell
its  respective  holding  company at this time but both  Boards  desire to merge
their respective  holding  companies in a transaction  structured as a merger of
equals;

      WHEREAS,  it is intended  that to accomplish  this result,  Cohoes will be
merged with and into Hudson, with Hudson being the Surviving Corporation;

      WHEREAS,   immediately  following   consummation  of  the  Merger,  it  is
contemplated  that Cohoes'  savings bank Subsidiary will be merged with and into
Hudson's savings bank  Subsidiary,  with Hudson's savings bank Subsidiary as the
Resulting Institution;

      WHEREAS,  concurrently  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
and as a condition and inducement to the other Party's willingness to enter into
this  Agreement,  each of Hudson and Cohoes is  granting  the other an option to
acquire  its Common  Stock  pursuant  to stock  option  agreements  in the forms
attached as Exhibits A and B hereto, respectively;

      WHEREAS,  it  is  intended  that  for  federal  income  tax  purposes  the
Transactions shall qualify as reorganizations  within the meaning of Section 368
of the  Code  and  this  Agreement  shall  constitute  a plan of  reorganization
pursuant to Section 368 of the Code;

      WHEREAS,  concurrently  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
and as a condition and inducement to the Parties' willingness to enter into this
Agreement,  Cohoes and each of the  directors of Hudson,  and Hudson and each of
the  directors  of Cohoes,  are  entering  into voting  agreements  in the forms
attached hereto as Exhibits C and D, respectively;



                                      1

<PAGE>



      WHEREAS,  concurrently  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
and as a condition  and  inducement to Hudson's  willingness  to enter into this
Agreement,  each of the  affiliates  of Cohoes for  purposes  of Rule 145 of the
Securities  Act is entering  into an affiliate  agreement  in the form  attached
hereto as Exhibit E; and

      WHEREAS,  concurrently  with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,
and as a condition and inducement to the Parties' willingness to enter into this
Agreement  certain  executives of Cohoes and Hudson are entering into employment
agreements  with Hudson and its savings  bank  subsidiary  (which  shall  become
effective at the  Effective  Time) in the forms  attached as Exhibits F, G, H, I
and J, respectively.

      NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of such inducements and of the mutual
promises and agreements contained herein, the Parties agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I
                   DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION

      The following meanings shall apply for purposes of this Agreement.

1.1 DEFINITIONS

      "Agreement" means this Agreement and Plan of Merger.

      "Alternative  Proposal"  means  any bona  fide  written  proposal,  public
announcement or filing with the SEC or any other Government Entity by any person
other than a Party to engage in a merger,  consolidation,  purchase  or lease of
substantially all assets,  purchase of securities  representing more than 20% of
the voting power,  or any similar  transaction,  involving a Party or any of its
Subsidiaries.

      "Bank  Merger"  means the  contemplated  merger of  Cohoes'  savings  bank
Subsidiary into Hudson's savings bank Subsidiary.

      "Board" means the Board of Directors of an entity,  or any committee  duly
authorized  to act on behalf  of the  Board of  Directors  of such  entity  with
respect to the relevant matter.



                                      2

<PAGE>



      "Cause" means termination because of the employee's  personal  dishonesty,
incompetence,  willful  misconduct,  breach of fiduciary duty involving personal
profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties or willful violation of any
law, rule or regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses).

      "Certificate"  means any  certificate  which prior to the  Effective  Time
represented shares of Cohoes Common Stock.

     "Certificate  of Merger" means the certificate of merger to be executed and
filed by the  Parties  with the  Secretary  of  State of the  State of  Delaware
pursuant  to the DGCL to make the  Merger  effective  and  which  shall  include
amendments in the Charter of the Surviving Corporation in substantially the form
of Exhibit K hereto to implement and carry out the provisions of Sections 2.2(a)
and (b) of this Agreement.

      "Charter" means the primary organizational document of any entity, whether
designated as "Articles of  Incorporation,"  "Certificate of  Incorporation"  or
otherwise.

      "Claim"  has the meaning attributed to it in Section 6.9.

      "Closing" means the closing of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.

      "Closing Date" means the date on which the Closing occurs.

      "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

      "Cohoes" means Cohoes Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

      "Cohoes ESOP" means the employee  stock  ownership  plan of Cohoes,  as in
effect as of the date hereof.

      "Cohoes  Options" means options to purchase shares of Cohoes Common Stock,
but  excludes the option  being  granted to Hudson  pursuant to the stock option
agreement in the form attached as Exhibit B hereto.

      "Cohoes-Owned  Shares" means any shares of Cohoes'  Common Stock which are
owned beneficially or of record by any Party or any Subsidiary of a Party, other
than shares held in a fiduciary  capacity for the benefit of third parties or as
a result of debts previously contracted.

      "Common  Stock"  means the common  stock of any entity  which has only one
authorized class of common stock.


                                      3

<PAGE>



      "CRA" means the Community Reinvestment Act.

      "Delivered" means provided by a Party or any of its
Subsidiaries to the other Party.

      "DGCL" means the Delaware General Corporation Law.

      "Effective  Time" means the time that the Merger becomes  effective  under
the DGCL.

      "Employee Plans" means all stock option,  restricted stock, employee stock
purchase and stock bonus plans,  pension,  profit-sharing  and retirement plans,
deferred compensation,  consultant, bonus and group insurance agreements and all
other incentive,  health, welfare and benefit plans and arrangements  maintained
for the benefit of any present or former  directors  or  employees of a Party or
any of its Subsidiaries, whether written or oral.

      "Encumbrance"  means  any  lien,  claim,  charge,  restriction,   security
interest, rights of third parties, or encumbrance.

      "Environmental  Claim"  means any  written  notice  from any  Governmental
Entity  or  third  party  alleging  potential  liability   (including  potential
liability for investigatory costs, cleanup costs,  governmental  response costs,
natural resources  damages,  property  damages,  personal injuries or penalties)
arising out of, based on, or resulting  from the  presence,  or release into the
environment, of any Materials of Environmental Concern.

      "Environmental  Laws"  means any  federal,  state or local  law,  statute,
ordinance,  rule, regulation,  code, license, permit,  authorization,  approval,
consent, order, judgment,  decree, injunction or agreement with any Governmental
Entity  relating  to (i) the  protection,  preservation  or  restoration  of the
environment  (including air, water vapor, surface water,  groundwater,  drinking
water supply,  surface soil, subsurface soil, plant and animal life or any other
natural  resource),  and/or  (ii)  the  use,  storage,   recycling,   treatment,
generation, transportation,  processing, handling, labeling, production, release
or disposal of Materials of Environmental  Concern.  The term  Environmental Law
includes  (x)  the  Comprehensive   Environmental  Response,   Compensation  and
Liability Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C.  ss.9601, et seq; the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act, as amended,  42 U.S.C.  ss.6901, et seq; the Clean Air Act, as
amended, 42 U.S.C. ss.7401, et seq; the Federal Water


                                      4

<PAGE>



Pollution  Control  Act,  as  amended,  33  U.S.C.  ss.1251,  et seq;  the Toxic
Substances  Control Act, as amended,  15 U.S.C.  ss.9601,  et seq; the Emergency
Planning and Community  Right to Know Act, 42 U.S.C.  ss.1101,  et seq; the Safe
Drinking  Water Act, 42 U.S.C.  ss.300f,  et seq; and all  comparable  state and
local laws, and (y) any common law (including  common law that may impose strict
liability) that may impose  liability or obligations for injuries or damages due
to, or  threatened  as a result of, the presence of or exposure to any Materials
of Environmental Concern.

      "ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended.

      "ERISA Affiliate" has the meaning set forth in Section
4.20(f).

      "ERISA Affiliate Plan" has the meaning set forth in Section
4.20(f).


      "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.

      "Exchange  Agent"  means  an  exchange  agent  designated  by  Hudson  and
reasonably acceptable to Cohoes.

      "FDIA" means the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended.

      "FDIC" means the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or
any successor thereto.

      "FHLB" means the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.

      "Financial Advisor" means Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. with
respect to Cohoes, and Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P. with
respect to Hudson.

      "Financial Statements" means both a Party's Annual Financial
Statements and its Interim Financial Statements.

            (a)  "Financial   Reports"  means   consolidated   balance   sheets,
      consolidated   statements   of  income  and   statements   of  changes  in
      shareholders'  equity and cash  flows,  including  any  related  notes and
      schedules.



                                      5

<PAGE>



            (b) "Annual  Financial  Statements"  means all the Financial Reports
      filed in a Party's most recent annual report under the Securities Laws.

            (c) "Interim Financial Statements" means the Financial Reports filed
      in all quarterly  reports of a Party under the  Securities  Laws since the
      filing of its most recent Annual Financial Statements.

      "GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles applied consistently
with prior practices.

      "Governmental  Entity"  means any federal or state  court,  administrative
agency or commission or other governmental authority or instrumentality.

      "HOLA" means the Home Owners' Loan Act, as amended.

      "Hudson" means Hudson River Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.

      "Hudson Option Plan" means the Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.
1998 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.

      "Hudson RRP Plan" means the Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.  1998
Recognition and Retention Plan.

      "Indemnified Liabilities"  has the meaning attributed to it
in Section 6.9.

      "Indemnified Parties " has the meaning attributed to it in
Section 6.9.

      "Insider Loans" means loans from a Party or any of its Subsidiaries to any
officer,  director or employee of that Party or any of its  Subsidiaries  or any
associate or related interest of any such person.

      "IRS" means the Internal Revenue Service or any successor
thereto.

      "Knowledge  Qualification"  means to the best knowledge,  after reasonable
investigation, of the Party receiving the benefit of the qualification.



                                      6

<PAGE>



      "Material  Adverse Effect" means, with respect to a Party, any effect that
is material and adverse to the condition  (financial or  otherwise),  results of
operations  or business of that Party and its  Subsidiaries  taken as whole,  or
that  materially  impairs  the ability of that Party to  consummate  the Merger,
provided,  however,  that Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include
the impact of (a) changes in laws and  regulations  or  interpretations  thereof
that are generally applicable to the banking or savings institution  industries,
(b)  changes in GAAP that are  generally  applicable  to the  banking or savings
institution industries,  (c) expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement
and the  Transactions,  (d)  actions  or  omissions  of a  Party  (or any of its
Subsidiaries)  taken with the prior informed  written consent of the other Party
in contemplation of the Transactions or (e) changes attributable to or resulting
from  changes in  general  economic  conditions  generally  affecting  financial
institutions, including changes in the prevailing level of interest rates.

      "Materials  of  Environmental  Concern"  means  pollutants,  contaminants,
wastes,  toxic  substances,  petroleum  and  petroleum  products  and any  other
materials regulated under Environmental Laws.

      "Merger"  means the merger of Cohoes into  Hudson,  with Hudson  being the
Surviving Corporation.

      "Merger  Consideration" means 1.185 shares of Surviving Corporation Common
Stock (the  "Exchange  Ratio") for each share of Cohoes Common  Stock,  provided
that cash, without interest,  is to be paid in lieu of any fractional share; and
provided further,  that if the issued and outstanding shares of Cohoes or Hudson
Common Stock shall,  during the period  commencing on the date hereof and ending
with the  Effective  Time,  through a  reorganization,  recapitalization,  stock
split,  reverse stock split,  stock dividend,  reclassification,  combination of
shares or similar  corporate  rearrangement in the  capitalization  of Cohoes or
Hudson, as the case may be, increase or decrease in number or be changed into or
exchanged for a different kind or number of securities,  then an appropriate and
proportionate adjustment shall be made to the Exchange Ratio.

      "OTS" means the Office of Thrift Supervision of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury or any successor thereto.



                                      7

<PAGE>



      "Party" means Cohoes or Hudson, whichever is applicable.

      "PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or
any successor thereto.

      "Pension Plan" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.20(c).

      "Previously  Disclosed" means disclosed in a written  disclosure  schedule
delivered  on or prior to the date hereof by the  disclosing  Party to the other
Party  specifically  referring to the appropriate  section of this Agreement and
describing in reasonable detail the matters contained therein.

      "Proposal"  means,  with  respect to Cohoes,  the  proposal  to adopt this
Agreement  and approve  the  Merger,  and,  with  respect to Hudson,  all of the
following proposals:

          (1) to adopt this  Agreement and approve the Merger and to approve the
     issuance of shares of Hudson Common Stock in the Merger; and

          (2) to amend the Hudson Option Plan and Hudson RRP Plan, respectively,
     to  increase  the  number of shares of Hudson  Common  Stock  reserved  for
     issuance  thereunder  from 1,785,375 to 1,930,241 in the case of the Hudson
     Option Plan and from 714,150 to 918,324 in the case of the Hudson RRP Plan.

      "Proxy  Statement"  means  the  joint  proxy  statement/prospectus  to  be
delivered to shareholders of the Parties in connection with the  solicitation of
their approval of the Proposal.

      "Registration  Statement"  means the  Registration  Statement  on Form S-4
(including the Proxy Statement) with respect to shares of Surviving  Corporation
Common Stock to be issued in the Merger.

      "Regulatory Reports" means all reports,  including  Securities  Documents,
which a Party or any of its Subsidiaries is required to file with any banking or
thrift Governmental Entity or the SEC.

      "Restricted Stock" has the meaning attributed to it in
Section 3.1.



                                      8

<PAGE>



      "Resulting Institution" means the resulting institution of
the Bank Merger.

      "Rights" means all warrants,  options, rights,  convertible securities and
other  arrangements or commitments  which obligate an entity to issue or dispose
of any of its capital  stock or other  ownership  interests,  but  excluding the
options  being  granted by each Party to the other  Party  pursuant to the stock
option   agreements  in  the  forms   attached  as  Exhibits  A  and  B  hereto,
respectively.

      "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

      "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended."

      "Securities  Documents"  means  all  reports,  offering  circulars,  proxy
statements, registration statements and all similar documents filed, or required
to be filed, pursuant to the Securities Laws.

      "Securities  Laws"  means  the  Securities  Act;  the  Exchange  Act;  the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended;  the Trust  Indenture  Act of 1939,  as  amended;  and the rules and
regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

      "Subsidiary" when used with respect to any Party means any entity, whether
incorporated  or  unincorporated,  which is  consolidated  with  such  party for
financial reporting purposes.

      "Surviving Corporation" means Hudson after the Merger.

      "Thrift  Regulations" means the banking laws of the State of New York, the
FDIA, the HOLA and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

      "Transactions"  means the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement,
including the Merger and Bank Merger.

      "Year 2000  Compliant"  means that all  hardware,  firmware,  software and
computer  systems (i)  completely  and accurately  address,  produce,  store and
calculate  data  involving  dates both before and after  January 1, 2000 without
error or interruption;  and (ii) provide that all "date"-related functionalities
and data


                                      9

<PAGE>



fields   include  the  indication  of  century  and   millennium,   and  perform
calculations which involve a four-digit year.

1.2 RULES OF INTERPRETATION

      The captions  contained in this Agreement are for reference  purposes only
and are not part of this Agreement. All provisions of this Agreement are subject
to applicable  law and to the other terms and conditions of this  Agreement.  No
provision  of this  Agreement  shall  be  construed  to  require  a party or its
affiliate to take any action which would violate applicable law.

      The word "accurate" includes the concept "true and
complete."

      The word  "agreement"  includes  every sort of  contract,  commitment,  or
understanding, whether written or oral.

      The word "authority" includes the concept "all requisite
power and authority."

      The  word   "authorized"   includes  the  concepts   "duly   approved  and
authorized,"  "adopted,"  "advised,"  and any other  similar  term  which may be
required by law.

      All forms of the verb "include" includes the concept
"without limitation."

      With respect to any securities, "outstanding" means "issued
and outstanding."

                                   ARTICLE II
                                 PLAN OF MERGER

2.1 THE MERGER

      At the Effective  Time,  Cohoes shall be merged into Hudson.  The separate
corporate  existence  of  Cohoes  shall  cease,  Hudson  shall be the  Surviving
Corporation, and Hudson shall continue its corporate existence under the DGCL.




                                      10

<PAGE>



2.2 SURVIVING CORPORATION

      (a) The name of the Surviving Corporation shall be "Cohoes-Hudson Bancorp,
Inc." The  headquarters  of the  Surviving  Corporation  shall be located in the
Albany, New York metropolitan
area.

      (b) The  Certificate of Merger shall amend the Charter of Hudson as of the
Effective  Time  to  (x)  change  the  name  of  the  Surviving  Corporation  to
Cohoes-Hudson  Bancorp,  Inc.,  and (y) to provide  until the earlier of (A) six
years after the  Effective  Time or (B) a business  combination  approved by the
Board of the Surviving  Corporation results in the shareholders of the Surviving
Corporation owning less than 51% of the combined entity that:

            (i) the initial Board of the Surviving  Corporation shall be made up
      of six directors named by a pre-Merger  resolution of the Cohoes Board and
      six directors named by a pre-Merger resolution of the Hudson Board;

            (ii) the classes to which the directors of the Surviving Corporation
      shall be assigned shall be designated in the respective resolutions of the
      Parties' Boards according to the following table:


                                     Directors Designated by
                                     -----------------------
                                      Cohoes         Hudson
                                     --------      ---------
Class expiring in 2001                  2                2
Class expiring in 2002                  2                2
Class expiring in 2003                  2                2

          (iii) any vacancy  among the  directors  designated  by a Party shall,
     suject  to  the  fiduciary   duties  of  the  directors  of  the  Surviving
     Corporation,  be filled from among the  pre-merger  directors of that Party
     who are not  already  directors  or  emeritus  directors  of the  Surviving
     Corporation. If no such person is available, the vacancy shall be filled by
     a person  chosen by the remaining  directors of the  Surviving  Corporation
     designated by that Party (including any of their successors in office);

          (iv) the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Surviving  Corporation  shall,
     subject to their  fiduciary  duties,  nominate and recommend all incumbents
     for  reelection  as  directors.  If an  incumbent  declines  to  stand  for
     reelection,  a candidate  will be chosen  according  to the  procedures  of
     subparagraph  (iii)  above as if such  position  was a vacancy  and, to the
     extent


                                      11

<PAGE>



      permitted by their fiduciary  duties,  all directors will vote to nominate
      and recommend such candidate to the shareholders.  If the directors do not
      nominate and recommend such candidate, then the remaining directors of the
      Surviving  Corporation  designated by that Party  (including  any of their
      successors  in office)  shall choose  another  candidate  according to the
      procedures of  subparagraph  (iii) above until the directors  nominate and
      recommend such candidate to the shareholders; and

            (v) the Charter of Hudson,  as so  amended,  shall be the Charter of
      the Surviving Corporation, until amended as provided therein or by law.

      (c) At the Effective Time, the Surviving  Corporation  shall adopt the fee
policies currently in effect at Cohoes for the payment of director and committee
fees,  until such time as such fees are  adjusted  by action of the Board of the
Surviving Corporation.

      (d) Prior to Closing,  Hudson  shall amend its bylaws to provide  that the
positions  and duties of the Chief  Executive  Officer  and  President  shall be
separate  and  distinct  as set forth on  Exhibit L hereto and to conform to the
agreements of the Parties reflected herein,  and such bylaws shall be the bylaws
of the Surviving  Corporation,  until amended as provided therein or by law. For
the first six  years  after the  Effective  Time,  the  bylaws of the  Surviving
Corporation shall be amended only at such times as there are no vacancies on the
Board of the Surviving Corporation.

      (e) At  the  Effective  Time,  the  executive  officers  of the  Surviving
Corporation shall be:


Chairman and Chief Executive Officer            Harry L. Robinson
Vice Chairman and President                     Carl A. Florio
CFO                                             Timothy E. Blow
COO and Executive Vice President                Richard A. Ahl
Executive Vice President                        Sidney D. Richter

      (f) It is the  intention of the Parties to use the Nasdaq  trading  symbol
"COHB" for the Surviving Corporation Common Stock.


                                      12

<PAGE>



2.3 CLOSING

      Within 30 days following the  satisfaction or waiver of all the conditions
set forth in Article VII (other than the delivery of certificates,  opinions and
other  instruments and documents to be furnished at Closing),  the Closing shall
take place on a date and at a time and place  mutually  designated in writing by
the Parties. The Certificate of Merger shall be filed on the Closing Date.

2.4 TREATMENT OF CAPITAL STOCK

      Subject  to the  provisions  of this  Agreement,  at the  Effective  Time,
automatically  by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of any
person or entity:

            (a) Each share of Hudson Common Stock shall continue  unchanged as a
      share of Surviving Corporation Common Stock.

            (b) All  Cohoes-Owned  Shares shall be canceled and retired  without
      consideration or conversion.

            (c) Each other  outstanding  share of Cohoes  Common  Stock shall be
      converted into the right to receive the Merger Consideration.

2.5 SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS; STOCK TRANSFERS

      At the Effective Time, holders of Certificates shall cease to be and shall
have no rights as shareholders of Cohoes.  After the Effective Time, there shall
be no transfers  on the stock  transfer  books of Cohoes.  If  Certificates  are
presented for transfer after the Effective  Time, they shall be delivered to the
Surviving  Corporation or the Exchange Agent for cancellation  against delivery,
without interest, of the Merger Consideration.

2.6 FRACTIONAL SHARES

      No fractional shares of Surviving  Corporation Common Stock will be issued
in the Merger;  instead, the Surviving Corporation shall pay to each Certificate
holder who would  otherwise be entitled to a fractional  share an amount in cash
(without  interest)  determined by multiplying such fraction by the closing sale
price of Hudson Common  Stock,  as reported by the Nasdaq  reporting  system (as
reported in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL or, if


                                      13

<PAGE>



not reported therein, in another authoritative source), for the last trading day
immediately preceding the Closing Date. No dividend or distribution with respect
to Hudson  Common  Stock shall be payable on or with  respect to any  fractional
share interest,  and no such  fractional  share interest shall entitle the owner
thereof to vote or to any other  rights of a  shareholder.  For the  purposes of
determining  any such  fractional  share  interests,  all  shares  of  Surviving
Corporation  Common  Stock to be issued to a Cohoes  shareholder  in the  Merger
shall be  combined so as to  calculate  the  maximum  number of whole  shares of
Surviving Corporation Common Stock issuable to such Cohoes shareholder.

2.7 OPTIONS

      At the Effective Time, each then outstanding  Cohoes Option which was also
outstanding  on the date hereof shall be assumed by the  Surviving  Corporation,
shall  continue to be  outstanding,  and shall  represent  an option to purchase
Surviving Corporation Common Stock subject to the same terms and conditions, but
in an amount and at an exercise price determined as provided below:

            (a) the number of shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock to be
      subject  to the  continuing  option  shall be equal to the  product of the
      number of shares of Cohoes  Common  Stock  subject  to the  Cohoes  Option
      immediately prior to the Effective Time and the Exchange Ratio, rounded to
      the nearest whole share; and

            (b) the  exercise  price per share of Surviving  Corporation  Common
      Stock under the continuing option shall be equal to the exercise price per
      share of Cohoes Common Stock under the Cohoes Option  immediately prior to
      the Effective Time divided by the Exchange  Ratio,  rounded to the nearest
      whole cent.

      It  is  intended  that  the  foregoing   assumption  shall  be  undertaken
consistent with and in a manner that will not constitute a "modification"  under
Section 424 of the Code as to any Cohoes  Option  which is an  "incentive  stock
option".

2.8 EXCHANGE PROCEDURES

            (a) At or prior to the Effective Time, Hudson shall deposit with the
      Exchange Agent certificates  representing shares of Surviving  Corporation
      Common Stock (and an


                                      14

<PAGE>



      estimated  amount of cash for fractional shares)  equal to  the  aggregate
      Merger Consideration.

            (b) As  promptly  as  practicable  after  the  Effective  Time,  the
      Exchange Agent shall send  transmittal  materials to each holder of record
      of Certificates,  which  transmittal  materials shall specify that risk of
      loss and title to  Certificates  shall pass only upon  acceptance  of such
      Certificates  by the Surviving  Corporation  or the Exchange  Agent.  Upon
      acceptance of a Certificate (or indemnity  reasonably  satisfactory to the
      Surviving  Corporation and the Exchange Agent, if any of such Certificates
      are lost, stolen or destroyed) the Exchange Agent shall deliver the Merger
      Consideration.  The Surviving  Corporation and the Exchange Agent shall be
      entitled to  conclusively  rely upon the stock transfer books of Cohoes to
      establish  the  identity  of the  Certificate  holders.  In the event of a
      dispute  with  respect to  ownership  of any  Certificate,  the  Surviving
      Corporation  or the  Exchange  Agent  shall be  entitled  to  deposit  any
      consideration in respect thereof in escrow with an independent third party
      and thereafter be relieved with respect to any claims thereto.

            (c) Neither the Exchange  Agent nor any Party shall be liable to any
      Certificate  holder for any amount properly delivered to a public official
      pursuant to applicable abandoned property, escheat or similar laws.

            (d) No holder of an unsurrendered  Certificate  shall be eligible to
      receive dividends or distributions on Surviving  Corporation Common Stock.
      Upon exchange of a Certificate for Surviving Corporation Common Stock, the
      holder   thereof   shall  be  entitled  to  receive   any   dividends   or
      distributions,  without  interest,  declared and paid after the  Effective
      Time.

            (e) Any cash and certificates for Surviving Corporation Common Stock
      which  remain  unclaimed  six  months  after the  Effective  Time shall be
      returned  to  the  Surviving   Corporation.   Certificate   holders  shall
      thereafter  look only to the  Surviving  Corporation  for  payment  of the
      Merger Consideration and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon.




                                      15

<PAGE>



2.9 ADDITIONAL ACTIONS

      If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving  Corporation shall
consider that any further assignments or assurances in law or any other acts are
necessary or desirable to (i) vest, perfect or confirm,  of record or otherwise,
in the Surviving Corporation its right, title or interest in, to or under any of
the rights, properties or assets of Cohoes acquired by the Surviving Corporation
in the Merger,  or (ii)  otherwise  carry out the  purposes  of this  Agreement,
Cohoes and its proper  officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted to
the  Surviving  Corporation  an  irrevocable  power of  attorney  to execute and
deliver all such proper deeds,  assignments  and assurances in law and to do all
acts necessary or proper to vest,  perfect or confirm title to and possession of
such rights,  properties or assets in the Surviving Corporation and otherwise to
carry out the purposes of this Agreement;  and the proper officers and directors
of the  Surviving  Corporation  are  fully  authorized  in the name of Cohoes or
otherwise to take any and all such action.

                                   ARTICLE III
                      MUTUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
                           WITH RESPECT TO THE PARTIES

      As of the date  hereof,  and except as  Previously  Disclosed,  each Party
represents and warrants to the other Party as follows:

3.1 CAPITAL STRUCTURE

      Its authorized and issued and  outstanding  capital stock is correctly set
forth in the table below.  All issued and  outstanding  shares of its stock have
been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and  nonassessable,  and
have not been issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any person.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

       Stock          Authorized    Issued     Treasury    Outstanding
- ------------------  ------------- ----------- ----------- ---------------
<S>                  <C>          <C>         <C>          <C>
Cohoes Common         25,000,000   9,535,225   1,622,970    7,912,225
Stock

Cohoes                 5,000,000      None       None          None
Preferred Stock

Hudson Common         40,000,000  17,853,750   2,307,190   15,546,560
Stock

Hudson                 5,000,000      None       None          None
Preferred Stock

</TABLE>

      Its outstanding  Rights and shares of outstanding  Common Stock subject to
restriction  ("Restricted Stock") are correctly set forth in the table below. It
has  Previously  Disclosed  a schedule of its Rights and  Restricted  Stock that
includes the name of each optionee and holder of Restricted Stock, the number of
options held by each optionee,  the number of shares of Restricted Stock held by
each holder  thereof,  the exercise price of each option and the vesting date of
each option and of each share of Restricted Stock.


                               Outstanding       Restricted
                                  Rights           Stock
                               -----------       ----------


                   Cohoes          860,555        344,972

                  Hudson         1,151,465        630,677

3.2 REGISTRATIONS

      It is duly registered as a savings and loan holding company under the HOLA
and is registered under the Exchange Act.

3.3 SUBSIDIARIES

      It  has  Previously  Disclosed  a  list  of  all  its  Subsidiaries.   All
outstanding  shares or  ownership  interests  of its  Subsidiaries  are  validly
issued, fully paid,  nonassessable and owned beneficially and of record by it or
one of its Subsidiaries  free and clear of any Encumbrance.  There are no Rights
authorized,  issued or outstanding with respect to any of its Subsidiaries.  All
eligible  accounts of each of its savings bank  Subsidiaries  are insured by the
FDIC to the maximum extent permitted by law.

3.4 THIS AGREEMENT

            (a) It has  authority  to enter into this  Agreement,  and any other
      documents and instruments  that are executed by it on the date hereof that
      relate to the Transactions  and,  subject to any necessary  approvals from
      Governmental   Entities  and/or  its   shareholders,   to  consummate  the
      Transactions.

            (b) Its Board has authorized the execution, delivery and performance
      of this  Agreement  and any  other  documents  and  instruments  that  are
      executed by it on the date hereof


                                      16

<PAGE>



      that relate to the Transactions and the consummation of the  Transactions.
      It has  properly  executed  and  delivered  this  Agreement  and any other
      documents and instruments  that are executed by it on the date hereof that
      relate to the Transactions,  which are its valid and binding  obligations,
      and neither this Agreement nor any of such other  documents or instruments
      executed by it on the date hereof that relate to the Transactions violates
      its Charter,  bylaws,  or any law,  judgment or order of any  Governmental
      Entity applicable to it.

            (c) No  "business  combination,"  "moratorium,"  "control  share" or
      other state anti-takeover  statute or regulation  prohibits,  restricts or
      subjects to any material  condition its ability to perform its obligations
      under this Agreement or any of the other documents or instruments that are
      executed by it on the date hereof that relate to the Transactions.

3.5 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS; NO ADVERSE CHANGE

      It  has  Delivered  Financial  Statements  which  have  been  prepared  in
accordance with GAAP, fairly present its consolidated  financial  position,  and
contain  adequate  reserves  for  losses.  Since the period  covered by its most
recent Annual Financial  Statements  Delivered prior to the date hereof,  it and
its Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses only in the ordinary course and
it has not  suffered a Material  Adverse  Effect.  Except as  disclosed  in such
Annual Financial  Statements,  no  circumstances  exist that could reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. It and its Subsidiaries have no
liabilities,  known or unknown, asserted or unasserted,  absolute, contingent or
otherwise,  that are required  under GAAP to be  reflected in audited  financial
statements or the notes thereto which are not reflected in its Annual  Financial
Statements  other than  liabilities  incurred in the ordinary course of business
since such date.

3.6 FAIRNESS OPINION

      It has received an opinion from its Financial  Advisor to the effect that,
as of  the  date  hereof,  the  Exchange  Ratio  utilized  to  determine  Merger
Consideration is fair, from a financial point
of view, to its shareholders.



                                      17

<PAGE>



3.7 INTERIM EVENTS

      Except as Previously  Disclosed,  since its most recent Interim  Financial
Statements  it has not paid or  declared  any  dividend  (other than its regular
quarterly cash dividend) or made any other distribution to shareholders or taken
any action (other than loan  originations)  which if taken after the date hereof
would require the prior written consent of the other Party hereunder.

                                   ARTICLE IV
             MUTUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO
                       THE PARTIES AND THEIR SUBSIDIARIES

      As of the date hereof,  except as Previously  Disclosed and subject to the
standard set forth in Section 9.8, each Party as to itself and  separately as to
each of its Subsidiaries, represents and warrants to the other Party as follows:

4.1 ORGANIZATION AND GOOD STANDING

      It is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of its  jurisdiction of organization and has authority to own, operate and lease
its assets and  properties  and to carry on its business.  It is qualified to do
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the character of its
assets  or the  nature  of its  business  requires  it to be  qualified.  It has
Delivered  accurate copies of its Charter and bylaws as currently in effect. Its
minute books  contain  complete  and accurate  records of all meetings and other
corporate actions taken by its shareholders and Board. Its stock ledgers reflect
all transactions in its capital stock, since its inception.

4.2 COMPLIANCE WITH LAW

            (a) It is in  compliance  with all  laws,  regulations,  ordinances,
      rules,  judgments,  orders or decrees  applicable  to its  operations  and
      business.

            (b) It has all permits, licenses,  certificates of authority, orders
      and approvals of, and has made all filings, applications and registrations
      with, all Governmental Entities that are required in order to permit it to
      carry on its business as it is presently being conducted.


                                      18

<PAGE>



            (c) It has not received in the last three years any  notification or
      communication from any Governmental  Entity or the staff thereof asserting
      that  it  was  not  in  compliance  with  any  statutes,   regulations  or
      ordinances,  threatening  to  revoke  any  license,  franchise,  permit or
      authorization; or threatening or contemplating any enforcement action.

            (d) It is not required to give prior notice to any regulatory agency
      of the proposed addition of an individual to its board of directors or the
      employment of an individual
      as a senior executive officer.

4.3 REGULATORY REPORTS

      For the past three years it has timely filed all Regulatory Reports. These
Regulatory Reports, as finally amended, complied with applicable requirements of
law and, as of their respective  dates or the dates as amended,  did not contain
any  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to  state a  material  fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
light of the  circumstances  under which they were made, not misleading.  It has
Delivered all Regulatory Reports for the past year.

4.4 GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS

      No approval of, or filing with, any Governmental  Entity is required by it
for the consummation of the Transactions except for:

            (a) Any filings or approvals under the Thrift Regulations.

            (b) The effectiveness of the Registration Statement.

            (c) The filing of the Certificate of Merger.

            (d) Any state securities filings.

            (e) Any anti-trust filings or approvals.

            (f) Listing of the Surviving  Corporation Common Stock on the Nasdaq
      National Market.



                                      19

<PAGE>



      It is not  aware  of any  reasons  relating  to it why such  consents  and
approvals  should not be granted,  free of any conditions or requirements  which
would materially reduce the value of the Transactions.

4.5 NO VIOLATIONS

      Neither  the  execution  of this  Agreement  nor the  consummation  of the
Transactions will result in any violation, breach, termination,  default or loss
of a material benefit under, or permit the acceleration of any obligation under,
or require the consent of a third party under,  or result in the creation of any
Encumbrance  on any of the property or assets  under,  any of its  agreements or
other instruments.

4.6 NO BROKER'S OR FINDER'S FEES

      No agent, broker,  investment banker,  person or firm acting on its behalf
or under its  authority  will be entitled to any fee or commission in connection
with the Transactions.

4.7 EQUITY HOLDINGS

      It does  not own  more  than  2% of the  capital  stock  or  other  equity
securities   (including   securities   convertible  or  exchangeable  into  such
securities)  of or more than 2% of the aggregate  profit  participations  in any
entity other than a Subsidiary.

4.8 LITIGATION AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS

      It is not a defendant in nor is any of its property subject to any pending
(or, subject to the Knowledge Qualification,  threatened),  claim, action, suit,
investigation  or  proceeding  or subject to any  judicial  order,  judgment  or
decree.

4.9 ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

            (a) It is in  compliance  with all  Environmental  Laws.  It has not
      received any communication alleging that it is not in such compliance and,
      subject to the Knowledge Qualification, there are no present circumstances
      that would prevent or interfere with the continuation of such compliance.



                                      20

<PAGE>



            (b) Subject to the Knowledge  Qualification,  none of the properties
      owned,  leased or operated by it has been or is in  violation of or liable
      under any Environmental Law.

            (c)  Subject to the  Knowledge  Qualification,  there are no past or
      present  actions,  activities,   circumstances,   conditions,   events  or
      incidents that could reasonably form the basis of any Environmental  Claim
      or other claim or action or governmental  investigation  that could result
      in the imposition of any liability against or obligation on the part of it
      or  any  person  or  entity  whose   liability  or   obligation   for  any
      Environmental  Claim  it  has or  may  have  retained  or  assumed  either
      contractually or by operation of law.

            (d)  It  has  not   conducted   (i)  any  phase  one   environmental
      investigations  during the past three years (other than in connection with
      loan  originations  or  purchases)  or (ii) any  phase  two  environmental
      investigations  during the past five years,  in each case, with respect to
      any properties owned by it, leased by it or securing loans held by it.

4.10 TAX MATTERS

            (a) It has  timely  filed all  federal,  state and  local  (and,  if
      applicable,  foreign)  income,  franchise,  bank,  excise,  real property,
      personal  property and other tax returns  required by applicable law to be
      filed  by  it  (including  estimated  tax  returns,  income  tax  returns,
      information  returns and  withholding  and employment tax returns) and has
      paid,  or where  payment is not required to have been made,  has set up an
      adequate  reserve or accrual  for the  payment of, all taxes in respect of
      the periods  covered by such returns and, as of the Effective  Time,  will
      have paid,  or where  payment is not  required to have been made will have
      set up an  adequate  reserve or accrual  for the payment of, all taxes for
      any subsequent  periods ending on or prior to the Effective  Time. It will
      not have any liability for any such taxes in excess of the amounts so paid
      or reserves or accruals so established.

            (b) All  federal,  state and local  (and,  if  applicable,  foreign)
      income,  franchise,  bank,  excise,  real property,  personal property and
      other tax returns filed by it are


                                      21

<PAGE>



      accurate.  It  either  is not  delinquent  in  the  payment  of  any  tax,
      assessment  or  governmental  charge or has requested an extension of time
      without  penalty  within  which to file any tax  returns in respect of any
      fiscal year or portion  thereof.  Its federal,  state and local income tax
      returns that are open to audit have not been audited by the applicable tax
      authorities  and no deficiencies  for any tax,  assessment or governmental
      charge have been proposed, asserted or assessed (tentatively or otherwise)
      against it which have not been  settled and paid.  There are  currently no
      agreements  in  effect  with  respect  to  it  to  extend  the  period  of
      limitations  for the  assessment  or  collection  of any  tax.  No  audit,
      examination  or deficiency or refund  litigation  with respect to any such
      return is pending or, subject to the Knowledge Qualification, threatened.

            (c) It (i)  is not a  party  to  any  agreement  providing  for  the
      allocation or sharing of taxes,  (ii) is not required to include in income
      any adjustment  pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code or by reason of any
      change in accounting  method (nor does it have any knowledge  that the IRS
      has proposed any such adjustment or change of accounting method) and (iii)
      has not filed a consent  pursuant to Section  341(f) of the Code or agreed
      to have Section 341(f)(2) of the Code apply.

            (d) It has withheld  amounts from its employees,  shareholders,  and
      holders of public deposit  accounts in compliance with the tax withholding
      provisions  of  applicable  federal,  state and local laws,  has filed all
      federal,  state and local  returns  and  reports for all periods for which
      such  returns  or  reports  would  be  due  with  respect  to  income  tax
      withholding,  social security,  unemployment taxes, income and other taxes
      and all  payments or deposits  with respect to such taxes have been timely
      made.

4.11 YEAR 2000 COMPLIANT

      All its hardware,  firmware,  software and computer  systems are Year 2000
Compliant  and shall  continue  to function in  accordance  with their  intended
purpose  without  error or  interruption  because of a date in the  twenty-first
century during
and after the year 2000.



                                      22

<PAGE>



4.12 INSURANCE

      It is insured for reasonable  amounts with financially sound and reputable
insurance companies against such risks as companies or institutions engaged in a
similar business would, in accordance with good business  practice,  customarily
be insured and has  maintained  all  insurance  required by its  agreements  and
applicable laws and regulations.  It has not, during the past five years, had an
insurance  policy canceled or non-renewed or been denied any insurance  coverage
for which it has applied.

4.13 LABOR

      No work  stoppage  involving  it is pending or,  subject to the  Knowledge
Qualification,  threatened.  It is not involved in or,  subject to the Knowledge
Qualification, threatened with or affected by, any labor dispute, discrimination
or sexual harassment claims,  arbitration,  lawsuit or administrative proceeding
involving any of its employees.  It is not a party to any collective  bargaining
agreement.

4.14 INDEMNIFICATION

      Subject  to the  Knowledge  Qualification,  no action or  failure  to take
action by any present or former director,  advisory director,  officer, employee
or agent of it has  occurred  which  would  give rise to a claim or a  potential
claim by any such
person for indemnification from it.

4.15 LOAN PORTFOLIO

      Each loan  reflected as an asset on its Annual  Financial  Statements  and
each loan  originated  or acquired  thereafter is evidenced by  appropriate  and
sufficient  documentation and constitutes a legal,  valid and binding obligation
of the obligor named therein,  enforceable in accordance with its terms,  except
to the extent  that the  enforceability  thereof  may be limited by  bankruptcy,
insolvency,  reorganization,  moratorium or similar laws or equitable principles
or doctrines.  All such loans are free and clear of any Encumbrance,  other than
the lien of the FHLB. It has no loan or other asset that has been  classified by
examiners or others as "Other Loans of Concern,"  "Substandard,"  "Doubtful"  or
"Loss." It has Previously  Disclosed a complete list of the real estate acquired
by it through foreclosure,


                                      23

<PAGE>



repossession or deed in lieu thereof which are currently held by
it.

4.16 INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

      All investment  securities  held by it are carried on its financial  books
and records in  accordance  with GAAP.  Except for pledges to secure  public and
trust  deposits,   none  of  its  investment   securities  are  subject  to  any
restriction,  whether  contractual or statutory,  which  materially  impairs its
ability to freely dispose of such investment  securities at any time, other than
those restrictions imposed on securities held to maturity under GAAP.

4.17 DEFAULTS

      There has not been any default in any  obligation  to be  performed  by it
under  any  agreement  and it has  not  waived  any  material  right  under  any
agreement.  Subject  to the  Knowledge  Qualification,  no  other  party  to any
agreement is in default in any obligation to be performed by such party.

4.18 REAL ESTATE LOANS AND INVESTMENTS

      Except for properties  acquired by it in settlement of loans, there are no
facts,  circumstances or contingencies known to it which exist and would require
a reduction  under GAAP in the present  carrying value of any of its real estate
investments,  joint ventures,  construction  loans,  other  investments or other
loans  (either  individually  or in the  aggregate  with  its  other  loans  and
investments).

4.19 DERIVATIVES CONTRACTS

      It is not a party to and has not agreed to enter  into an  exchange-traded
or  over-the-counter  swap,  forward,  future,  option,  cap,  floor  or  collar
financial  contract or any other  contract not included in its Annual  Financial
Statement  which  is a  derivatives  contract  (including  various  combinations
thereof) and it does not own any  securities  that are  identified in OTS Thrift
Bulletin No. 65 or otherwise referred to as structured notes.




                                      24

<PAGE>



4.20 EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

            (a) It has Previously Disclosed all Employee Plans (other than those
      that  relate to benefits  which  previously  have been fully  accrued as a
      liability or expensed and for which there is no future financial reporting
      obligation)  and  has  heretofore   delivered   accurate  copies  of  each
      (including  amendments and agreements  relating thereto) together with, in
      the case of qualified  plans,  (i) the most recent  financial  reports and
      actuarial  reports  prepared  with respect  thereto,  (ii) the most recent
      annual reports filed with any  Governmental  Entity with respect  thereto,
      and (iii) all rulings and determination  letters and any open requests for
      rulings or letters that pertain thereto.

            (b) Each  Employee  Plan  has  been  operated  and  administered  in
      accordance  with its  terms and with  applicable  law,  including,  to the
      extent applicable,  ERISA, the Code, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act,
      the Age  Discrimination  in Employment  Act, and the  regulations or rules
      promulgated thereunder; and all filings,  disclosures and notices required
      by ERISA,  the  Code,  the  Securities  Act,  the  Exchange  Act,  the Age
      Discrimination  in Employment  Act and any other  applicable law have been
      timely made.

            (c) Each Employee Plan which is an "employee  pension  benefit plan"
      within the meaning of Section  3(2) of ERISA (a "Pension  Plan") and which
      is intended to be qualified  under Section 401(a) of the Code has received
      a favorable  determination  letter  (including  a  determination  that the
      related  trust under such  Pension  Plan is exempt from tax under  Section
      501(a) of the Code) from the IRS, and it is not aware of any circumstances
      likely to result in revocation of any such favorable determination letter.

            (d) There is no pending or, subject to the Knowledge  Qualification,
      threatened  legal  action,  suit or claim  relating to any  Employee  Plan
      (other than  routine  claims for  benefits)  or against any related  trust
      thereto or fiduciary
      thereof.

            (e) It has not  engaged  in a  transaction,  or  omitted to take any
      action,  with respect to any Employee Plan that has or would reasonably be
      expected to subject it to a tax or penalty  imposed by either Section 4975
      of the Code or


                                      25

<PAGE>



      Section 502 of ERISA,  assuming  for  purposes of Section 4975 of the Code
      that the  taxable  period of any such  transaction  expired as of the date
      hereof.

            (f) No  liability  (other  than for  payment of premiums to the PBGC
      which have been made or will be made on a timely  basis) under Title IV of
      ERISA has been or is expected  to be  incurred  by it with  respect to any
      ongoing,  frozen or terminated  "single-employer plan", within the meaning
      of Section  4001(a)(15) of ERISA,  currently or formerly maintained by it,
      or any single-employer  plan of any entity (an "ERISA Affiliate") which is
      considered  one employer  with it under  Section  4001(a)(14)  of ERISA or
      Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (an "ERISA Affiliate Plan").

            (g) Neither it nor any ERISA Affiliate has contributed,  or has been
      obligated to contribute, to a multiemployer plan under Subtitle E of Title
      IV of ERISA at any time since September 26, 1980.

            (h) No notice of a "reportable event", within the meaning of Section
      4043 of ERISA for  which the  30-day  reporting  requirement  has not been
      waived,  has been  required  to be filed for any  Employee  Plan or by any
      ERISA Affiliate Plan within the 12-month period ending on the date hereof.
      The PBGC has not  instituted  proceedings to terminate any Pension Plan or
      ERISA  Affiliate  Plan and,  subject to the  Knowledge  Qualification,  no
      condition  exists  that  presents  a risk  that such  proceedings  will be
      instituted by the PBGC.


            (i) There is no pending  investigation or enforcement  action by the
      PBGC,  DOL or IRS or any other  Governmental  Entity  with  respect to any
      Employee Plan.


            (j)  Under  each  Pension  Plan and ERISA  Affiliate  Plan that is a
      defined  benefit  plan,  as of the  date  of  the  most  recent  actuarial
      valuation  performed prior to the date hereof, the actuarially  determined
      present value of all "benefit liabilities",  within the meaning of Section
      4001(a)(16)  of  ERISA  (as  determined  on the  basis  of  the  actuarial
      assumptions  contained in such actuarial valuation of such Pension Plan or
      ERISA Affiliate Plan), did not exceed the then current value of the assets
      of such Pension Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan and since such date


                                      26

<PAGE>



      there  has  been  neither  a  material  adverse  change  in the  financial
      condition of such Pension Plan or ERISA  Affiliate  Plan nor any amendment
      or other change to such Pension  Plan or ERISA  Affiliate  Plan that would
      increase  the amount of  benefits  thereunder  which  reasonably  could be
      expected to change such result.

            (k) All  contributions  required  to be made  under the terms of any
      Employee Plan or ERISA Affiliate Plan have been
      timely made.

            (l)  Neither any Pension  Plan nor any ERISA  Affiliate  Plan has an
      "accumulated  funding  deficiency"  (whether  or not  waived)  within  the
      meaning  of  Section  412 of the  Code or  Section  302 of  ERISA  and all
      required  payments to the PBGC with  respect to each Pension Plan or ERISA
      Affiliate Plan have been made on or before their due dates.

            (m) Neither it nor any ERISA  Affiliate (i) has  provided,  or would
      reasonably be expected to be required to provide,  security to any Pension
      Plan or to any ERISA Affiliate Plan pursuant to Section  401(a)(29) of the
      Code,  or (ii) has taken any action,  or omitted to take any action,  that
      has resulted, or would reasonably be expected to result, in the imposition
      of an Encumbrance under Section 412(n) of the Code or pursuant to ERISA.

            (n) It  has  no  obligation  to  provide  retiree  health  and  life
      insurance or other retiree death benefits  under any Employee Plan,  other
      than benefits mandated by
      Section 4980B
      of the Code.  There has been no communication to its
      employees that would reasonably be expected to promise or
      guarantee such employees retiree health or life insurance
      or
      other retiree death benefits.

            (o) It has neither made any  payments,  nor is obligated to make any
      payments  by  virtue of the  consummation  of any of the  Transactions  or
      otherwise,  nor a party to any agreement or any Employee Plan,  that under
      any  circumstances  could obligate it or its successor to make payments or
      deemed  payments  that (i) are not or will not be  deductible  because  of
      Sections  162(m)  or  280G  of the  Code or  (ii)  require  the  Surviving
      Corporation  or any of its  Subsidiaries  to record  any charge or expense
      therefor (or any tax gross-up  payments) for financial  reporting purposes
      on a


                                      27

<PAGE>



      post-acquisition  basis.  Neither the execution of this  Agreement nor the
      consummation of the  Transactions  will constitute a change in control for
      purposes  of any of the  Hudson  Employee  Plans or any of the  employment
      agreements, change in control severance agreements, severance compensation
      plan  or  benefit   restoration  plan  to  which  Hudson  or  any  of  its
      Subsidiaries is a party.

4.21 PROPERTIES

            (a) All real and personal  property owned by it or presently used in
      its business is in good condition (ordinary wear and tear excepted) and is
      sufficient  to carry on its  business in the  ordinary  course of business
      consistent with its past practices.  It has good and marketable title free
      and clear of all  Encumbrances  (other than equitable rights of redemption
      laws  relating to property  acquired by it in  foreclosure)  to all of its
      properties and assets, real and personal, except

                  (i) liens for current taxes not yet due or
            payable,

                  (ii) pledges to secure deposits,

                  (iii) such imperfections of title,  easements and non-monetary
            Encumbrances affecting real property, if any, which do not adversely
            affect the value or use of such real property, and

                  (iv)  any  monetary  Encumbrances,  reflected  in  its  Annual
            Financial Statements.

            (b) All real and personal  property that is leased or licensed by it
      is held pursuant to leases or licenses which are valid and  enforceable in
      accordance with their  respective  terms and such leases and licenses will
      not terminate or lapse prior to the Effective Time or thereafter by reason
      of completion  of the  Transactions.  All improved real property  owned or
      leased by it is in compliance  with all applicable  laws including  zoning
      laws.




                                      28

<PAGE>



4.22 CERTAIN AGREEMENTS

      It is not a party to, is not bound or  affected  by, and does not  receive
and is not  obligated to pay benefits  (other than those that relate to benefits
which  previously  have been fully  accrued as a liability  or expensed  and for
which there is no future financial reporting obligation) under:

            (a)  any  agreement,   arrangement  or  commitment,   including  any
      agreement,  indenture or other  instrument,  relating to the  borrowing of
      money by it (other than in the case of deposits, FHLB advances and federal
      funds purchased) or the guarantee by it of any obligation;

            (b)  any  agreement,  arrangement  or  commitment  relating  to  the
      employment  of a consultant  or the  employment,  election or retention in
      office of any present or former director,  advisory  director,  officer or
      employee;

            (c) any agreement,  arrangement or  understanding  pursuant to which
      any payment  (whether of severance  pay or otherwise) is or may become due
      to any present or former director, advisory director, officer or employee;

            (d) any agreement, arrangement or understanding pursuant to which it
      is  obligated  to  indemnify  any  present  or former  director,  advisory
      director, officer, employee or agent;

            (e) any  agreement,  arrangement or  understanding  which limits its
      freedom to compete in any line of business or with any person;

            (f) any  agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding  which  would be
      required to be filed as an exhibit to its Annual Report on Form 10-K under
      the Exchange Act and which has not been so filed;

            (g) any  agreement  pursuant  to which  loans  have been sold by it,
      which  impose  any  potential  recourse  obligations  (by  representation,
      warranty, covenant or other contractual terms) upon it; or

            (h) any subservicing agreement.



                                      29

<PAGE>



4.23 MATERIAL INTERESTS OF CERTAIN PERSONS

            (a) No officer,  director or employee of it or any  "associate"  (as
      such term is  defined  in Rule 14a-1  under the  Exchange  Act) or related
      interest of any such  person has any  material  interest  in any  material
      agreement or property (real or personal, tangible or intangible), used in,
      or pertaining to, its business.

            (b) Except as set forth in its proxy  statement  for its most recent
      annual meeting of shareholders there are no outstanding Insider Loans. All
      outstanding Insider Loans were made in the ordinary course of business and
      on  substantially  the  same  terms as  those  prevailing  at the time for
      comparable  transactions  with third  parties  and were,  with  respect to
      executive officers and directors, approved by its Board in accordance with
      applicable law and regulations.

4.24 NO IMPEDIMENTS

      It has not taken or agreed to take any action,  nor does it have knowledge
of any fact or  circumstance,  that  would  (i)  materially  impede or delay the
consummation  of the  Transactions  or the  ability of the Parties to obtain any
approval  of  any   Governmental   Entity  required  for   consummation  of  the
Transactions or to perform their  covenants and agreements  under this Agreement
or (ii) prevent the Transactions from qualifying as  reorganizations  within the
meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code.

4.25 LIQUIDATION ACCOUNT

      In the case of the savings bank  Subsidiary  of a Party,  the  liquidation
account established by it in connection with its conversion from mutual to stock
form has been maintained  since its  establishment in accordance with applicable
laws and the records with respect to said account are accurate.

4.26 DISCLOSURES

      None of the  representations and warranties by a Party as to itself or its
Subsidiaries  pursuant to Articles III, IV or V hereof or any of the information
Previously  Disclosed  or  Delivered  by a Party or on its behalf,  contains any
untrue statement of a material fact, or omits to state any material fact


                                      30

<PAGE>



required to be stated or necessary to make any such information,
in light of the circumstances, not misleading.

                                    ARTICLE V
                         ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS AND
                              WARRANTIES OF COHOES

      As of  the  date  hereof,  and  except  as  Previously  Disclosed,  Cohoes
represents and warrants to Hudson as follows:

5.1 REGISTRATION OBLIGATIONS

      Cohoes is not under any  obligation,  contingent or otherwise,  which will
survive the  Effective  Time by reason of any  agreement  to register any of its
securities under the Securities Act or other federal or state securities laws or
regulations.

                                   ARTICLE VI
                                    COVENANTS

6.1 REASONABLE BEST EFFORTS

      Subject to the terms and  conditions of this  Agreement,  each Party shall
use its reasonable best efforts in good faith to take, or cause to be taken, all
actions, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary or advisable under
applicable laws and regulations so as to permit and otherwise enable  completion
of the Merger as promptly as reasonably  practicable,  and shall cooperate fully
with the other to that end.  Prior to the Closing (or  earlier if  necessary  or
appropriate  to  facilitate  any of the  Transactions),  Cohoes  shall  take all
necessary  action  to  delete  Section  7 of the  Charter  of its  savings  bank
Subsidiary.

6.2 SHAREHOLDERS' MEETINGS

      Each Party shall take all action  necessary to properly call and convene a
meeting of its  shareholders  as soon as  practicable  after the date  hereof to
consider and vote upon its Proposal. The Board of each Party will recommend that
its shareholders approve
its Proposal.

6.3 REGULATORY MATTERS

            (a) The  Parties  shall  cooperate  with  each  other  and use their
      reasonable best efforts to promptly prepare and file


                                      31

<PAGE>



      all  necessary  documentation,   to  effect  all  applications  (including
      applications for the Bank Merger), notices,  petitions and filings, and to
      obtain as promptly as  practicable  all permits,  consents,  approvals and
      authorizations  of all  Governmental  Entities and third parties which are
      necessary or advisable to consummate  the  Transactions.  Each Party shall
      have the right to review in advance,  and to the extent  practicable  each
      will consult with the other on, in each case  subject to  applicable  laws
      relating to the exchange of information, all the information which appears
      in any filing made by the other Party or written  materials  submitted  by
      the  other  Party  to any  third  party  or  any  Governmental  Entity  in
      connection with the Transactions.  In exercising the foregoing right, each
      of the Parties shall act  reasonably and as promptly as  practicable.  The
      Parties  agree that they will  consult with each other with respect to the
      obtaining of all permits,  consents,  approvals and  authorizations of all
      third  parties  and  Governmental   Entities  necessary  or  advisable  to
      consummate the  Transactions  and each Party will keep the other appraised
      of the status of matters relating to completion of the  Transactions.  The
      Parties  agree that they will use their  reasonable  best efforts to cause
      the Closing Date to occur by September 30, 2000.

            (b) Each Party shall,  upon the request of the other Party,  furnish
      such other Party with all information  concerning  itself, its present and
      former directors and officers,  its shareholders and such other matters as
      may be reasonably necessary or advisable in connection with any statement,
      filing,   notice  or  application  made  to  any  Governmental  Entity  in
      connection with the Transactions.

            (c) Each Party shall promptly furnish the other Party with copies of
      written  communications  received from, or delivered to, any  Governmental
      Entity in respect of the Transactions.

6.4 INVESTIGATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY

            (a) Each Party shall permit the other Party and its  representatives
      reasonable  access to its and its  Subsidiaries  properties and personnel,
      and shall  disclose  and make  available  upon  reasonable  request to the
      extent such disclosure is permitted by law and will not result in


                                      32

<PAGE>



      the loss or potential loss of any  attorney-client  privilege,  all books,
      papers and records  relating  to its and its  Subsidiaries  assets,  stock
      ownership, properties,  operations, obligations and liabilities, including
      all books of account (including the general ledger),  tax records,  minute
      books of meetings of boards of directors (and any committees  thereof) and
      shareholders,  Charter,  bylaws,  material  agreements,  filings  with any
      Governmental  Entity,  accountants'  work papers,  litigation  files, loan
      files,  plans affecting  employees,  and any other business  activities or
      prospects in which the  examining  Party may have a  reasonable  interest,
      provided  that  such  access  and any  such  reasonable  request  shall be
      reasonably related to the Transactions and shall not unduly interfere with
      normal  operations  of the other  Party and its  Subsidiaries.  Each Party
      shall make its  directors,  officers,  employees and agents and authorized
      representatives (including counsel and independent public accountants) and
      those or its Subsidiaries available to confer with the other Party and its
      representatives,  provided that such access shall be reasonably related to
      the Transactions and shall not unduly interfere with the normal operations
      of such Party and its Subsidiaries.

            (b) All  information  furnished  previously in  connection  with the
      Transactions  or pursuant  hereto shall be treated as the sole property of
      the Party  furnishing the information  until completion of the Merger and,
      if the Merger shall not occur,  the Party receiving the information  shall
      either  destroy or return to the  furnishing  Party all documents or other
      materials containing,  reflecting or referring to such information,  shall
      use its best efforts to keep confidential all such information,  and shall
      not directly or indirectly  use such  information  for any  competitive or
      other  commercial  purposes.  The  obligation  to  keep  such  information
      confidential shall continue for five years from the date of this Agreement
      but shall not apply to (i) any  information  which (x) the Party receiving
      the information  can establish was already in its possession  prior to the
      disclosure thereof by the other Party; (y) was then generally known to the
      public;  or (z) became  known to the public  through no fault of the Party
      receiving  the  information;  or  (ii)  disclosures  pursuant  to a  legal
      requirement  or in  accordance  with  an  order  of a court  of  competent
      jurisdiction,  provided  that the Party  which is the  subject of any such
      legal


                                      33

<PAGE>



      requirement or order shall use its best efforts to give the other Party at
      least ten business days' prior notice thereof.

6.5 PRESS RELEASES

      The Parties shall mutually agree as to the form and substance of any press
release  related to this  Agreement or the  Transactions,  and consult with each
other as to the form and substance of other public  disclosures which may relate
to the  Transactions,  provided,  however,  that nothing  contained herein shall
prohibit either Party,  following  notification to the other Party,  from making
any disclosure which such Party believes is required by law or regulation.

6.6 BUSINESS OF THE PARTIES

            (a) During the period from the date of this Agreement and continuing
      until the Effective Time, except as expressly contemplated or permitted by
      this Agreement or with the prior written consent of the other Party,  each
      Party shall carry on its business and cause its  Subsidiaries  to carry on
      their  businesses  only  in  the  ordinary  course  consistent  with  past
      practice.  During such  period,  each Party also will use,  and will cause
      each of its  Subsidiaries  to use, all reasonable  efforts to (x) preserve
      its business  organization intact, (y) keep available the present services
      of its employees and (z) preserve the goodwill of its customers and others
      with whom business relationships exist. Without limiting the generality of
      the foregoing, except with the prior written consent of the other Party or
      as  expressly  contemplated  hereby,  between  the  date  hereof  and  the
      Effective Time, neither Party nor any of its Subsidiaries shall:

                  (i)  declare,  set aside,  make or pay any  dividend  or other
            distribution  (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination
            thereof)  in  respect  of its  capital  stock,  except  for  (A) the
            declaration  and  payment of regular  quarterly  cash  dividends  by
            Cohoes in an amount not in excess of $0.07 per outstanding  share of
            Cohoes  Common  Stock and the  declaration  and  payment  of regular
            quarterly  cash  dividends  by Hudson in an amount  not in excess of
            $0.05 per  outstanding  share of Hudson Common  Stock,  in each case
            with usual


                                      34

<PAGE>



            record and payment  dates for such  dividends  consistent  with such
            Parties' past dividend practices;  provided however, the declaration
            of the last quarterly dividend by Cohoes prior to the Effective Time
            and the payment  thereof shall be  coordinated  with, and subject to
            the approval of (which approval will not be unreasonably  withheld),
            Hudson so as to preclude any  duplication of dividends (it being the
            intention of the Parties  that holders of Cohoes  Common Stock shall
            not receive a dividend from both Parties relating to such period, or
            fail to receive one dividend relating to such period);  and provided
            further  that the  initial  dividend  for the first  full  quarterly
            dividend  period  subsequent to the Effective Time shall be equal to
            $0.06 per  share of  Surviving  Corporation  Common  Stock,  and (B)
            dividends or  distributions  by a wholly owned Subsidiary of a Party
            to such Party;

                  (ii) issue any shares of its  capital  stock,  other than upon
            the exercise of options  outstanding on the date hereof to acquire a
            Party's Common Stock;  issue, grant, modify or authorize any Rights;
            purchase   any   shares  of  its   Common   Stock;   or  effect  any
            recapitalization,  reclassification,  stock dividend, stock split or
            like change in capitalization;

                  (iii)  amend its  Charter or bylaws;  or waive or release  any
            material right or cancel or compromise any material debt or claim;

                  (iv)  increase  the  rate  of   compensation  of  any  of  its
            directors,  officers or employees,  or pay or agree to pay any bonus
            or severance  to, or provide any other new benefit or incentive  to,
            any of its  directors,  officers or employees,  except (A) as may be
            required pursuant to Previously  Disclosed  commitments  existing on
            the date  hereof;(B) as may be required by law; (C) merit  increases
            in accordance with past practices,  normal cost-of-living increases,
            and  normal  increases   related  to  promotions  or  increased  job
            responsibilities,  in each case consistent with past practices;  (D)
            bonuses  under plans and  programs  Previously  Disclosed in amounts
            consistent  with past practices (even though the amounts thereof are
            subject to Board discretion and have not been heretofore


                                      35

<PAGE>



            determined)  which  bonuses may be paid on a pro rata basis  through
            the end of the month  preceding the Closing Date;  and(E) Cohoes may
            make  amendments to the Cohoes ESOP Plan and the profit sharing plan
            portion of the Cohoes 401(k) Plan to permit it and its  Subsidiaries
            to make contributions thereto, and Cohoes and its Subsidiaries shall
            be permitted to make contributions  thereto, on a pro rata basis for
            the  period  from  January  1,  2000  through  the end of the  month
            preceding the Closing Date.

                  (v) enter into or,  except as may be required  by law,  modify
            any Employee Plan or other benefit,  incentive or welfare  contract,
            plan or arrangement,  or any trust  agreement  related  thereto,  in
            respect of any of its directors, officers or employees;

                  (vi)  originate  or purchase  any loan in excess of $1 million
            without prior notification to the other Party;

                  (vii) except as otherwise permitted hereunder,  enter into (v)
            any agreement for the purchase,  sale, transfer or other disposition
            of any  material  properties  or  material  assets  (other than real
            estate  acquired  in  foreclosure  (or by deed in lieu  thereof)  or
            repossessed assets, in each case, with a carrying value on a Party's
            Financial  Reports  of less  than  $1,000,000  individually)  or the
            placing of any  Encumbrance  thereon  or (w) any other  transaction,
            agreement, arrangement or commitment not made in the ordinary course
            of  business,  (x) any  agreement,  indenture  or  other  instrument
            relating  to its  borrowing  of money or its  guarantee  of any such
            obligation,  except for  deposits,  FHLB  advances not to exceed one
            year to maturity,  federal funds purchased and securities sold under
            agreements  to  repurchase  in  the  ordinary   course  of  business
            consistent  with past practice,  (y) any  agreement,  arrangement or
            commitment  relating to the employment of an employee or consultant,
            or amend any such existing  agreement,  arrangement  or  commitment;
            provided that a Party or its  Subsidiaries may employ an employee or
            consultant in the ordinary course if the employment of such employee
            or consultant is terminable by such Party or its Subsidiary,  as the
            case may be, at will without


                                      36

<PAGE>



            liability,  other than as required by law;  and that the term of the
            employment  agreements  and change in control  severance  agreements
            existing  as of the  date  hereof  involving  the  Parties  or their
            Subsidiaries  may be extended in accordance  with the terms thereof;
            or (z) any agreement with a labor union;

                  (viii)  change  its  method of  accounting  in effect  for its
            Annual Financial  Statements,  except as required by changes in laws
            or  regulations  or GAAP,  or change any of its methods of reporting
            income and  deductions  for federal  income tax purposes  from those
            employed in the  preparation  of its  federal  income tax return for
            such year, except as required by changes in laws or regulations;

                  (ix)  enter  into or  renew  any  lease  of  real or  personal
            property or any service agreement  provided the consent of the other
            Party shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, or fail to give
            any  required  notice to prevent a lease or service  agreement  from
            being renewed; or make any capital expenditures in excess of $50,000
            individually  or $100,000 in the aggregate  (provided the consent of
            the other Party  shall not be  unreasonably  withheld  or  delayed),
            other than pursuant to binding commitments  Previously Disclosed and
            existing on the date hereof and  expenditures  necessary to maintain
            existing assets in good repair;

                  (x) file any applications or make any contract with respect to
            branching or site location or relocation;

                  (xi) purchase any security or acquire in any manner whatsoever
            (other than to realize upon collateral for a defaulted loan) control
            over or any equity  interest in any  business or entity,  other than
            marketable  securities  (which do not  exceed  1% of the  securities
            outstanding within such class) in the ordinary course of business;

                  (xii)  except  with   respect  to  real  estate   acquired  in
            foreclosure  (or by deed in lieu  thereof)  or  repossessed  assets,
            enter or agree to enter into any


                                      37

<PAGE>



            agreement or arrangement granting any preferential right to purchase
            any of its assets or rights or requiring the consent of any party to
            the transfer and assignment of any such assets or rights;

                  (xiii) except as necessitated in its reasonable opinion due to
            changes in interest  rates,  and in  accordance  with safe and sound
            banking  practices,  change or modify in any material respect any of
            its lending or investment policies, except to the extent required by
            law or an applicable regulatory authority;

                  (xiv)  enter  into  any  futures  contract,  option  contract,
            interest  rate caps,  interest  rate floors,  interest rate exchange
            agreement or other agreement for purposes of hedging the exposure of
            its  interest-earning  assets and  interest-bearing  liabilities  to
            changes in market  rates of  interest  provided  the  consent of the
            other  Party  shall not be  unreasonably  withheld or delayed if the
            hedging  activity is undertaken  consistent  with past practices and
            prudent banking practices;

                  (xv)   take  any   action   that   would   cause  any  of  the
            representations  and warranties  contained herein not to be true and
            correct in any  material  respect at Closing or that would cause any
            of the conditions of Article VII hereof not to be satisfied;

                  (xvi) take any action  that would  materially  impede or delay
            the completion of the Transactions or the ability of either Party to
            perform its covenants and agreements under this Agreement;

                  (xvii)  materially  increase or decrease  the rate of interest
            paid on time deposits,  or on certificates  of deposit,  except in a
            manner and pursuant to policies consistent with past practices; or

                  (xviii) agree to do any of the foregoing.

            (b) Each Party shall  promptly  notify the other Party in writing of
      the  occurrence of any matter or event known to and directly  involving it
      or any of its  Subsidiaries,  other than any  changes in  conditions  that
      affect the banking or


                                      38

<PAGE>



      savings   institution   industry   generally,   that  would  have,  either
      individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on it.

6.7 CERTAIN ACTIONS

      Neither  Party  nor any of its  Subsidiaries  or any of  their  respective
directors,  officers,  employees,  representatives  or agents  shall  solicit or
encourage  inquiries  or  proposals  with  respect to,  furnish any  information
relating to, or participate in any negotiations or discussions  concerning,  any
Alternative Proposal,  provided,  however, that the Board of a Party may furnish
such information (but limited to the information  provided to the other Party in
connection  with  or  relating  to  this  Agreement  and  the  Transactions)  or
participate in such  negotiations  or  discussions  if such Board,  after having
consulted with and considered the advice of outside counsel, has determined that
the  failure  to do the same  would,  in the good faith  opinion of such  Board,
result in a breach of the fiduciary duty of the Board under applicable law. Each
Party will  promptly  inform the other  Party  orally and in writing of any such
request  for  information  or of any  negotiations  or  discussions,  as well as
instruct its  directors,  officers,  employees,  representatives  and agents and
those of its  Subsidiaries to refrain from taking any action  prohibited by this
Section.

6.8 CURRENT INFORMATION

      During the period  from the date hereof to the  Closing  Date,  each Party
shall,  upon  request of the other  Party,  cause one or more of its  designated
representatives   to  confer  on  a  monthly   or  more   frequent   basis  with
representatives  of the  requesting  Party  regarding  its and its  Subsidiaries
financial  condition,  operations  and  businesses  and matters  relating to the
completion of the Transactions. As soon as reasonably available, but in no event
more than five business  days after filing,  each Party will Deliver all reports
filed by it under the Thrift  Regulations  concurrently  with the filing of such
reports.  Each Party will also  Deliver as soon as  practicable  all  Securities
Documents filed by it with the SEC subsequent to the date hereof.

6.9 INDEMNIFICATION

      (a) After the Effective Time, the Surviving  Corporation  shall indemnify,
defend and hold harmless each person who is now,


                                      39

<PAGE>



or who has been at any time  before the date  hereof or who  becomes  before the
Effective  Time, an officer,  director or employee of either Party or any of its
respective  Subsidiaries (the "Indemnified Parties") against all losses, claims,
damages,  costs, expenses (including attorney's fees),  liabilities or judgments
or amounts that are paid in settlement (which settlement shall require the prior
written  consent  of the  Surviving  Corporation,  which  consent  shall  not be
unreasonably  withheld)  of or in  connection  with  any  claim,  action,  suit,
proceeding or investigation,  whether civil, criminal, or administrative (each a
"Claim"), in which an Indemnified Party is, or is threatened to be made, a party
or a witness  based in whole or in part on or arising in whole or in part out of
the fact that such  person is or was a  director,  officer or employee of either
Party or any of its respective Subsidiaries if such Claim pertains to any matter
or fact arising,  existing or occurring  before the Effective  Time  (including,
without  limitation,  the  Transactions,  regardless  of  whether  such Claim is
asserted or claimed before, or at or after, the Effective Time (the "Indemnified
Liabilities"), to the fullest extent permitted under applicable state or federal
law in effect as of the date  hereof or as amended  applicable  to a time before
the Effective Time and under such Party's  Charter or bylaws as in effect on the
date hereof (as the case may be). The Surviving  Corporation  shall pay expenses
in advance of the final  disposition  of any such action or  proceeding  to each
Indemnified  Party to the full extent  permitted by applicable  state or federal
law in effect as of the date  hereof or as amended  applicable  to a time before
the Effective Time upon receipt of any  undertaking  required by applicable law.
Any  Indemnified  Party  wishing to claim  indemnification  under  this  Section
6.9(a), upon learning of any Claim, shall notify the Surviving  Corporation (but
the failure so to notify the Surviving Corporation shall not relieve it from any
liability  which it may have under this Section  6.9(a)except to the extent such
failure  materially  prejudices the Surviving  Corporation) and shall deliver to
the  Surviving  Corporation  any  undertaking  required by  applicable  law. The
Surviving  Corporation  shall ensure,  to the extent  permitted under applicable
law,  that all  limitations  of liability  existing in favor of the  Indemnified
Parties as provided in a Party's  Charter or  bylaws(as  the case may be), as in
effect as of the date hereof,  or allowed under  applicable state or federal law
as in effect as of the date hereof or as such law may be amended applicable to a
time before the Effective Time, with respect to


                                      40

<PAGE>



Indemnified Liabilities shall survive the consummation of the Transactions.

      (b) From and  after  the  Effective  Time,  the  directors,  officers  and
employees of each Party hereto or any of its Subsidiaries who become  directors,
officers or employees of the Surviving  Corporation or any of its  Subsidiaries,
shall have indemnification rights having prospective application with respect to
acts  or  omissions   occurring   after  the  Effective  Time.  The  prospective
indemnification rights shall consist of such rights to which directors, officers
and employees of the Surviving  Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries  are entitled
under the provisions of the Charter and bylaws of the Surviving  Corporation and
its  Subsidiaries,  as in effect from time to time after the Effective  Time, as
applicable, and provisions of applicable state and federal law as in effect from
time to time after the Effective Time.

      (c) For a period of six  years  from and after  the  Effective  Time,  the
Surviving  Corporation  shall  cause to be  maintained  in  effect  the  current
policies of directors' and officers'  liability  insurance  maintained by Cohoes
and its  Subsidiaries  (provided that the Surviving  Corporation  may substitute
therefor  policies  from a  financially  capable  insurer  of at least  the same
coverage and amount  containing terms and conditions which are  substantially no
less  advantageous,  or in the event such coverage is provided  through Hudson's
insurer it may be on terms and  conditions  (other than  coverage  and  amounts)
consistent with Hudson's current coverage), or in lieu thereof single limit tail
coverage  for such period,  with respect to claims  arising from facts or events
which occurred before the Effective Time. Following  consummation of the Merger,
the  directors and officers of the Surviving  Corporation  and its  Subsidiaries
shall be covered by the directors' and officers' liability insurance  maintained
by the Surviving Corporation and its Subsidiaries.

      (d) The obligations of the Surviving Corporation provided under paragraphs
(a), (b) and (c) of this Section 6.9 are intended to be enforceable  against the
Surviving  Corporation  directly by the Indemnified Parties and shall be binding
on all respective successors and permitted assigns of the Surviving Corporation.




                                      41

<PAGE>



6.10 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS

      If requested by a Party within 15 days after the date hereof (or within 15
days after the  acquisition  or lease of any real  property  acquired  or leased
after  the  date  hereof),   the  other  Party  shall,  as  soon  as  reasonably
practicable, but not later than 30 days from the receipt of the request, Deliver
a report of a phase one  environmental  investigation  on real property owned or
leased by it (but excluding space in office or retail and similar establishments
leased for automatic  teller machines or bank branch  facilities or other office
uses where the space leased comprises less than 20% of the total space leased to
all  tenants  of such  property).  If  required  by the phase one  environmental
investigation  in the requesting  Party's  reasonable  opinion,  the other Party
shall Deliver, within 60 days of the receipt of the request, a report of a phase
two environmental  investigation on properties  requiring such additional study.
The  requesting  Party  shall  have ten days from its  receipt  of the phase one
environmental investigation to request a phase two environmental  investigation.
The costs of any environmental  investigations  shall be borne by the requesting
Party.

6.11 EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

            (a) Full time  employees of Cohoes and its  Subsidiaries  who remain
      employed  after the  Effective  Time will be  eligible to  participate  in
      benefit plans of the Surviving  Corporation and its Subsidiaries  that are
      generally  available  to  their  full-time  employees  on  a  uniform  and
      non-discriminatory  basis in accordance  with and subject to the terms and
      provisions  of such benefit  plans,  with credit for years of service with
      Cohoes and its Subsidiaries for the purpose of determining eligibility for
      participation,  vesting and entitlement to vacation time and sick pay (but
      not for the purpose of accrual or restoration of benefits under any Hudson
      Employee Plan or any future  benefit plan of the Surviving  Corporation or
      any of its  Subsidiaries  where  benefits are  calculated  on an actuarial
      basis,  including any qualified or  non-qualified  defined benefit plan or
      restoration  plan).  Contributions  to (and  accrual of  benefits,  to the
      extent  applicable,   if  any,  under)  benefit  plans  of  the  Surviving
      Corporation  and  its  Subsidiaries  on  behalf  of  continuing  full-time
      employees of Cohoes and its  Subsidiaries  shall only relate to qualifying
      compensation earned by such employees after the Effective Time subject to


                                      42

<PAGE>



      the terms and provisions of such employee plans.  Notwithstanding anything
      contained  above,  continuing  full  time  employees  of  Cohoes  and  its
      Subsidiaries shall not be eligible to participate in the Hudson (Surviving
      Corporation)  ESOP  until  the plan  year  beginning  April 1,  2001.  The
      Surviving  Corporation  shall  use its best  efforts  to cause any and all
      pre-existing condition limitations (to the extent such limitations did not
      apply to a pre-existing  condition  under the  corresponding  Cohoes group
      health plan) and eligibility  waiting periods under its group health plans
      to be  waived  with  respect  to  such  participants  and  their  eligible
      dependents.

            (b) If the employment of any full-time employee of Cohoes, Hudson or
      their respective  Subsidiaries is involuntarily  terminated other than for
      Cause  within six months  following  the  Effective  Time,  the  Surviving
      Corporation or its applicable  Subsidiary shall provide severance benefits
      to such employee in a cash amount equal to such employee's  regular salary
      for a one-week  period (as in effect  immediately  prior to the  Effective
      Time)  multiplied  by the total  number of whole years of such  employee's
      full-time employment (up to a maximum of thirteen years) at Cohoes, Hudson
      or any of their  respective  Subsidiaries;  provided,  however  that in no
      event  shall  the  Surviving   Corporation   or  any  of  its   applicable
      Subsidiaries have any obligation to provide severance benefits to any such
      full-time   employee  whose   termination  of  employment  occurs  due  to
      resignation  or  discharge  for  Cause  or who is  entitled  to  severance
      benefits  or  the  equivalent   thereof  under  the  terms  of  any  other
      compensation  plan or  individual  contract or the  provisions  of Section
      6.11(c).

            (c) The  Surviving  Corporation  agrees  to honor  the  terms of all
      Previously  Disclosed  employment,  consulting,  severance and termination
      agreements,  severance  plans,  benefit  restoration  plans,  stock option
      plans,  and  recognition  and retention plans to which Cohoes or Hudson or
      any of their respective Subsidiaries is a party, other than those that are
      being terminated and/or replaced at the Effective Time.  Nothing herein is
      intended  to limit  the  right of the  Surviving  Corporation  to amend or
      terminate  any of the  foregoing  in  accordance  with  their  terms.  The
      Surviving Corporation hereby expressly assumes at the Effective Time every
      such agreement which by its terms


                                      43

<PAGE>



      requires express assumption by a successor.  Such express assumption shall
      occur by  virtue of  Hudson's  execution  of this  Agreement  without  any
      further action required by the Surviving  Corporation  upon the completion
      of the Merger.  Each Cohoes  employee who is currently a party to a change
      in control severance agreement with Cohoes' savings bank Subsidiary and is
      employed  at the  Effective  Time  shall  be  offered  at  such  time  the
      opportunity  to receive a new change in control  severance  agreement from
      the Surviving Corporation in replacement thereof in the same form and with
      the same benefits contained in the change in control severance  agreements
      currently in effect at Hudson in consideration  of such employee  waiving,
      relinquishing and releasing all of his rights under his existing change in
      control  severance  agreement with Cohoes' savings bank Subsidiary  unless
      his employment with the Resulting Institution is involuntarily  terminated
      without  cause by the  Resulting  Institution  within  one year  after the
      Effective  Time,  in which case such  employee  shall  remain  entitled to
      receive the severance and other  benefits  contained in his or her current
      change  in  control   severance   agreement  with  Cohoes'   savings  bank
      Subsidiary.  Any  employee of Hudson or its savings  bank  Subsidiary  who
      currently has a change in control  severance  agreement with Hudson shall,
      if his or her  employment  is  involuntarily  terminated  by the Surviving
      Corporation  or the  Resulting  Institution  without cause within one year
      after the  Effective  Time, be entitled to receive  benefits  equal to one
      year's base salary in lump sum on the date of employment  termination plus
      continuing  health  insurance  coverage(including  spousal  and  dependant
      coverage) under the Surviving  Corporation's  group health  insurance plan
      during the one year period after the date of employment  termination  with
      all premiums being paid by the Surviving Corporation.

            (d) In the sole  discretion of the Surviving  Corporation,  payments
      made  by it or its  Subsidiaries  in full  and  complete  satisfaction  of
      obligations of Cohoes or its Subsidiaries  under any Cohoes Employee Plan,
      or severance  under Section  6.11(b) or under any agreement or arrangement
      referred  to in  Section  6.11(c)  shall  be  subject  to the  recipient's
      delivery  to the  Surviving  Corporation  of (i) a written  acknowledgment
      signed by such  recipient  that the payment or payments and benefits to be
      made to him or her is in full and complete satisfaction of all liabilities
      and


                                      44

<PAGE>



      obligations thereunder of Cohoes, the Surviving  Corporation,  and each of
      their respective Subsidiaries,  affiliates, directors, officers, employees
      and agents,  and (ii) a release by such recipient of all such parties from
      further  liability in connection with the particular Cohoes Employee Plan,
      the recipients' employment, agreement or arrangement, as applicable.

            (e) Prior to the Closing,  Cohoes shall make appropriate  amendments
      to the  Cohoes  ESOP,  to the  extent  permitted  by law,  to  permit  the
      Surviving  Corporation  Common  Stock  received  by the Cohoes ESOP in the
      Merger to be tendered to the Surviving  Corporation for redemption  and/or
      cancellation against payment and retirement of the Cohoes ESOP loan by the
      Surviving  Corporation(in  the same manner as if such shares of  Surviving
      Corporation  Common  Stock  received in the Merger by the Cohoes ESOP were
      sold by it in the  open  market  with the cash  proceeds  therefrom  being
      utilized to retire the Cohoes  ESOP  loan).  At the  Effective  Time,  the
      Cohoes ESOP shall  terminate in  accordance  with its terms based upon the
      Merger  constituting  a change  in  control  termination  therein  and the
      Surviving   Corporation  shall  not  take  any  action  to  preclude  such
      termination.   Moreover,   the  Parties   shall  make  all  filings   with
      Governmental  Entities  relating to the  termination of the Cohoes ESOP to
      facilitate the repayment of the ESOP loan and the distribution of benefits
      to participants thereunder, if any, at the earliest practicable time after
      the Effective Time.

            (f) At any time on or after the Effective  Time as determined by the
      Surviving  Corporation,  the Cohoes  401(k)  Plan shall be merged into the
      Hudson 401(k) Plan,  with the Hudson 401(k) Plan being the surviving plan,
      all in accordance with applicable law, provided the Parties understand and
      agree that there is no intention on their part for the profit sharing plan
      portion of the Cohoes 401(k) Plan to be continued in the  surviving  plan.
      Cohoes shall take all actions  requested by Hudson in order to  accomplish
      the merger of the Cohoes  401(k)  Plan into the Hudson  401(k)  Plan.  The
      Surviving  Corporation may at any time after the Effective Time modify the
      Cohoes  401(k)  Plan  or  the  merged  401(k)  Plans,   as  the  Surviving
      Corporation in its sole discretion  determines necessary or appropriate to
      accomplish the merger, and to facilitate the ongoing


                                      45

<PAGE>



      operation of the merged 401(k) Plan, subject to compliance
      with applicable law.

            (g) Cohoes  shall,  at the  request of Hudson  terminate  the profit
      sharing plan portion of the Cohoes 401(k) Plan at
      or prior to the Closing.

            (h) The Surviving Corporation shall, as of the Effective Time, grant
      stock  options and  restricted  stock awards to directors  (including  the
      emeritus  director)  and two  executive  officers of Cohoes as  Previously
      Disclosed by Hudson.

            (i)  Each  person  who  is a  director  of  Cohoes,  Hudson  or  its
      respective  savings bank  Subsidiary,  immediately  prior to the Effective
      Time,  who does not become an  initial  director  of either the  Surviving
      Corporation or the Resulting  Institution at the Effective Time,  together
      with Charles Crotty (if he is an emeritus  director of Cohoes  immediately
      prior to the  Effective  Time) and,  at the  election  of Hudson  prior to
      Closing each of its emeritus  directors  (if such  director is an emeritus
      director  of  Hudson  immediately  prior  to  the  Effective  Time  and no
      alternative   arrangements   have   been   made  by   Hudson   with   such
      director),shall  be  entitled  to  become  an  emeritus  director  of  the
      Surviving  Corporation  at the Effective  Time as Previously  Disclosed by
      Hudson. Subsequent to the Effective Time, each of Carl A. Florio and Harry
      L.  Robinson  shall be  entitled  to become an  emeritus  director  of the
      Surviving Corporation as Previously Disclosed by Hudson.

            (j) Prior to the Closing,  the Board of Hudson  shall  approve by at
      least a 75% vote the  directors  named by the  Cohoes  Board  pursuant  to
      Section   2.2(b)(i)  hereof  so  as  to  ensure  that  completion  of  the
      Transactions  does not result in a change in control under Hudson's change
      in control severance agreements.

6.12 BANK MERGER AND RESULTING INSTITUTION

      The Parties and their respective  savings bank Subsidiaries shall take all
necessary and appropriate  actions to make it possible for the Bank Merger to be
authorized, agreed to, and accomplished immediately after the Effective Time, or
at such other time thereafter as may be determined by the Surviving


                                      46

<PAGE>



Corporation.  In connection with the Bank Merger, the Surviving
Corporation shall cause the following to occur:

            (a) the name of the Resulting  Institution shall continue as "Hudson
      River Bank & Trust Company";

            (b) the Resulting  Institution shall have 12 directors or such other
      equal  number as is agreed to by the Parties in writing at or prior to the
      Closing.  The directors of the Resulting  Institution shall be selected by
      the  directors  of  the  Surviving  Corporation.  Those  directors  of the
      Surviving Corporation  designated by pre-Merger  resolutions of each Party
      shall,  by  majority  action  of such  individuals  and  subject  to their
      fiduciary  duties,  designate  one half of the  directors of the Resulting
      Institution according to the following procedure:

                  (i) Harry L. Robinson and Duncan MacAffer shall
            be
            designated by Cohoes to be directors of the Resulting
            Institution, and Carl A.  Florio and Earl Schram, Jr.
            shall be designated by Hudson to be directors of the
            Resulting Institution;

                  (ii) the  remaining  directors  of the  Resulting  Institution
            shall be chosen  equally from the Boards of Cohoes and Hudson,  with
            preference  given to those  directors who are not named as directors
            of the Surviving  Corporation  pursuant to Section  2.2(b)(i) hereof
            and who do not elect emeritus director status under Section 6.11(i);
            and

                  (iii) Messrs.  MacAffer and Schram shall be Co-Chairmen of the
            Board of the Resulting Institution.

            (c) For the period set forth in Section 2.2(b)(y) hereof,  the Board
      of the Surviving Corporation,  to the extent consistent with its fiduciary
      duties,  shall elect all incumbent directors of the Resulting  Institution
      to additional  terms. If an incumbent  director  designated on behalf of a
      Party is not  re-elected  or declines to stand for  re-election,  then the
      directors of the Surviving  Corporation installed by such Party (inclusive
      of any of their  successors in office) shall  nominate the candidate to be
      elected in place of such incumbent  director and the Board of Directors of
      the Surviving  Corporation,  to the extent  consistent  with its fiduciary
      duties, shall cause such


                                      47

<PAGE>



      candidate to be elected as a director of the Resulting Institution. If the
      Board of the  Surviving  Corporation  does not cause such  candidate to be
      elected,  then  the  remaining  directors  of  the  Surviving  Corporation
      designated  by that Party  (including  any of their  successors in office)
      shall  choose  another   candidate   until  the  Board  of  the  Surviving
      Corporation  causes  such  candidate  to be elected  as a director  of the
      Resulting Institution.

            (d) Any vacancy  among the  directors of the  Resulting  Institution
      elected on behalf of a Party  pursuant to Section  6.12(b) or (c) shall be
      filled by majority  action of those  remaining  directors of the Resulting
      Institution who were
      elected on behalf of such Party.

            (e)   The initial officers of the Resulting Institution shall be:


Vice Chairman and Chief Executive               Harry L. Robinson
Officer
Vice Chairman and President                     Carl A. Florio
CFO                                             Timothy E. Blow
COO and Executive Vice President                Richard A. Ahl
Senior Lending Officer and Executive            Sidney D. Richter
Vice President

6.13 LITIGATION MATTERS

      Each Party will consult with the other about any proposed  settlement,  or
any disposition of, any litigation.

6.14 CONFORMING ENTRIES

            (a) Cohoes  recognizes  that  Hudson and its  Subsidiaries  may have
      adopted  different  loan,  accrual and reserve  policies  (including  loan
      classifications and levels of reserves for possible loan losses).  Subject
      to applicable  law, from and after the date hereof to the Closing,  Cohoes
      and Hudson  shall  consult and  cooperate  with each other with respect to
      conforming  the loan,  accrual  and  reserve  policies  of Cohoes  and its
      Subsidiaries  to  those  policies  of  Hudson  and  its  Subsidiaries,  as
      specified in each case in writing  from Hudson to Cohoes,  based upon such
      consultation and subject to the conditions in Section 6.14(c) below.



                                      48

<PAGE>



            (b) Subject to applicable  law,  Cohoes and Hudson shall consult and
      cooperate with each other with respect to  determining,  as specified in a
      written  notice from Hudson to Cohoes,  based upon such  consultation  and
      subject to the  conditions in Section  6.14(c)  below,  the amount and the
      timing for recognizing for financial  accounting purposes Cohoes' expenses
      of the  Transactions  and the  restructuring  charges relating to or to be
      incurred in connection with the Transactions.

            (c) Subject to applicable law, Cohoes and its Subsidiaries shall (i)
      establish and take such reserves and accruals at such time as Hudson shall
      reasonably  request to conform the loan,  accrual and reserve  policies of
      Cohoes  and  its   Subsidiaries   to  the   policies  of  Hudson  and  its
      Subsidiaries,  and (ii)  establish  and take such  accruals,  reserves and
      charges in order to implement such policies and to recognize for financial
      accounting  purposes such expenses of the Transactions  and  restructuring
      charges related to or to be incurred in connection with the  Transactions,
      in each case at such times as are reasonably  requested by Hudson,  but in
      no event prior to five days before the Closing  Date;  provided,  however,
      that on the date such  reserves,  accruals  and  charges  are to be taken,
      Hudson shall certify to Cohoes that all conditions to Hudson's  obligation
      to  consummate  the Merger set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.3 hereof (other
      than the  delivery of  certificates,  opinions and other  instruments  and
      documents to be delivered at the Closing by Cohoes,  the delivery of which
      shall  continue to be conditions to Hudson's  obligation to consummate the
      Merger) have been satisfied or waived; and provided,  further, that Cohoes
      and its Subsidiaries shall not be required to take any such action that is
      not consistent with GAAP and regulatory accounting principles.

            (d) No reserves,  accruals or charges taken in accordance  with this
      Section  may  be  a  basis  to  assert  a  violation  of  a  breach  of  a
      representation, warranty or covenant of Cohoes herein.

6.15        INTENTIONALLY OMITTED




                                      49

<PAGE>



6.16 DISCLOSURE SUPPLEMENTS

      From  time to  time  prior  to the  Closing,  each  Party  shall  promptly
supplement or amend any  materials  Previously  Disclosed or Delivered  pursuant
hereto  with  respect  to any  matter  hereafter  arising  which,  if  existing,
occurring or known at the date of this Agreement, would have been required to be
set forth or described in materials  Previously  Disclosed or Delivered or which
is  necessary  to  correct  any  information  in such  materials  which has been
rendered materially  inaccurate thereby. No such supplement or amendment to such
materials shall be deemed to have modified the  representations,  warranties and
covenants of the  disclosing  Party for the purpose of  determining  whether the
conditions set forth in Article VII hereof have been satisfied.

6.17 FAILURE TO FULFILL CONDITIONS

      If a Party  determines  that a condition to its  obligations to consummate
the Merger may not be fulfilled,  it will promptly notify the other Party.  Each
Party will  promptly  inform the other Party of any facts  applicable to it that
would  be  likely  to  prevent  or  materially  delay  approval  of  any  of the
Transactions by any Governmental  Entity or third party or which would otherwise
prevent or materially delay completion of any of the Transactions.

6.18 PROXY SOLICITOR

      Each Party may, and if requested by the other Party shall,  retain a proxy
solicitor in  connection  with its meeting of  shareholders  held to vote on its
Proposal.

6.19 SURVIVING CORPORATION COMMON STOCK

      Hudson shall  reserve for  issuance a  sufficient  number of shares of its
Common  Stock for the  purpose of issuing  the Merger  Consideration  to Cohoes'
shareholders. Hudson covenants that the Surviving Corporation Common Stock to be
issued in the Merger will be duly  authorized,  validly  issued,  fully paid and
nonassessable and not subject to any preemptive rights or other Encumbrance.

6.20 PROSPECTUS/JOINT PROXY STATEMENT

      (a)  The  Parties  shall  promptly   cooperate  with  each  other  in  the
preparation and filing of the Registration Statement with the


                                      50

<PAGE>



SEC and  after  the SEC has  cleared  the  Registration  Statement,  each  shall
promptly mail the Proxy Statement to its shareholders.

      (b) Each Party covenants that at the time the Proxy Statement is mailed to
shareholders  of the  Parties,  and at all times  after such  mailings up to and
including the final required approval of shareholders of the Parties, such Proxy
Statement (including any supplements  thereto),  with respect to all information
set forth therein relating to it, its Subsidiaries, its shareholders, its Common
Stock, this Agreement, and the Transactions will:

            (i) comply in all material  respects with  applicable  provisions of
      the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the rules and  regulations  under
      such Acts; and

            (ii) not contain any untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to
      state any  material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary in
      order  to  make  the  statements   contained  therein,  in  light  of  the
      circumstances under which
      they are made, not misleading.

6.21 TAX OPINION

      Each  Party  agrees to use  reasonable  efforts  to  obtain a written  tax
opinion of counsel,  dated as of the Closing,  in order to satisfy the condition
set forth in Section 7.1(f).

6.22 RESERVATION OF SHARES TO SATISFY COHOES CONTINUING OPTIONS

      Hudson  or the  Surviving  Corporation  shall  take all  corporate  action
necessary  to reserve for  issuance a  sufficient  number of shares of Surviving
Corporation Common Stock for delivery upon exercise of those Cohoes Options that
have been  converted to a right to acquire  Surviving  Corporation  Common Stock
pursuant to Section 2.7. As soon as  practicable  after the Effective  Time, the
Surviving  Corporation  shall file an  appropriate  registration  statement with
respect to the shares of Surviving  Corporation  Common Stock  subject to Cohoes
Options  that have been  converted to a right to acquire  Surviving  Corporation
Common Stock pursuant to Section 2.7 and shall use its  reasonable  best efforts
to maintain the  effectiveness  of such  registration  statement or registration
statements  (and maintain the current status of the  prospectus or  prospectuses
contained therein) for so long as such options remain outstanding.



                                      51

<PAGE>



6.23 LISTING

      Hudson shall use all  reasonable  efforts to cause the shares of Surviving
Corporation Common Stock to be issued in the Merger, and the shares of Surviving
Corporation  Common Stock to be reserved for issuance  pursuant to Section 6.22,
to be approved for listing on the Nasdaq  National  Market,  subject to official
notice of issuance, prior to or as of the Closing.

6.24 NEW AFFILIATES

      Cohoes  shall  use its  best  efforts  to cause  any  person  becoming  an
affiliate  of Cohoes for  purposes of Rule 145 of the  Securities  Act after the
date hereof to enter into an affiliate  agreement in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit E.

                                   ARTICLE VII
                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

7.1 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT - THE PARTIES

      The  respective  obligations of both Parties to effect the Merger shall be
subject  to the  satisfaction  of the  following  conditions  at or prior to the
Closing unless waived by the Parties to the extent permitted by Section 8.4.

            (a) The  shareholders of each Party shall have approved its Proposal
      including in the case of Hudson, each part of its Proposal.

            (b) All  approvals and consents from any  Governmental  Entity,  the
      approval  or  consent  of  which is  required  for the  completion  of the
      Transactions,  shall have been received and all statutory  waiting periods
      in respect thereof shall have expired; and the Parties shall have procured
      all other  approvals,  consents and waivers of each person (other than the
      Governmental Entities referred to above) whose approval, consent or waiver
      is necessary to the  completion of the  Transactions;  provided,  however,
      that no approval or consent  referred to in this  Section  7.1(b) shall be
      deemed  to have  been  received  if it  shall  include  any  condition  or
      requirement  that, in the aggregate,  would materially reduce the economic
      or business  benefits of the Transactions to the Surviving  Corporation as
      the Parties shall reasonably and in good faith agree.



                                      52

<PAGE>



            (c) Neither Party nor its savings bank  Subsidiary  shall be subject
      to any  statute,  rule,  regulation,  injunction  or other order or decree
      which shall have been  enacted,  entered,  promulgated  or enforced by any
      Governmental Entity which prohibits, restricts or makes illegal completion
      of any of the Transactions.

            (d) No  proceeding  initiated by any  Government  Entity  seeking an
      order,  injunction  or decree  issued by any court or agency of  competent
      jurisdiction  or other  legal  restraint  or  prohibition  preventing  the
      completion of any of the Transactions shall be pending or threatened.

            (e) The  Registration  Statement shall have been declared  effective
      and shall not be subject  to a stop  order of the SEC (and no  proceedings
      for that purpose shall have been  initiated or threatened by the SEC) and,
      if the offer and sale of the  Surviving  Corporation  Common  Stock in the
      Merger pursuant to this Agreement is subject to the securities laws of any
      state,  shall  not be  subject  to a stop  order of any  state  securities
      authority.

            (f) Each Party shall have  received  an opinion of its tax  counsel,
      dated as of the Closing, to the effect that for
      federal income tax purposes:

                        (i) The Transactions  will qualify as  "reorganizations"
            under Section 368(a) of the Code.

                        (ii) No gain or loss will be  recognized by any Party or
            any of its savings bank  Subsidiaries by reason of the  consummation
            of the Transactions.

                        (iii)  No  gain  or  loss  will  be  recognized  by  any
            shareholder  of Cohoes  upon the  exchange  of Cohoes  Common  Stock
            solely for Surviving Corporation Common
            stock in the Merger.

                        (iv) The basis of the Surviving Corporation Common Stock
            received by each  shareholder of Cohoes who exchanges  Cohoes Common
            Stock for Surviving  Corporation  Common Stock in the Merger will be
            the same as the basis of the  Cohoes  Common  Stock  surrendered  in
            exchange therefor (subject to any adjustments required as the result
            of receipt of cash in lieu of a


                                      53

<PAGE>



            fractional share of Surviving Corporation Common
            Stock).

                        (v) The  holding  period  of the  Surviving  Corporation
            Common Stock  received by a shareholder of Cohoes in the Merger will
            include the holding period of the Cohoes Common Stock surrendered in
            exchange therefor,  provided that such shares of Cohoes Common Stock
            were held as a capital  asset by such  shareholder  at the Effective
            Time.

                        (vi) Cash received by a Cohoes  shareholder in lieu of a
            fractional  share  interest of  Surviving  Corporation  Common Stock
            which such  shareholder  would  otherwise be entitled to receive (or
            the deemed issuance of a fractional  share interest by the Surviving
            Corporation  and deemed  redemption  thereof by it) will  qualify as
            capital gain or loss (assuming the Cohoes Common Stock was a capital
            asset in such shareholder's hands at the Effective Time).

            (g) The shares of Surviving Corporation Common Stock to be issued in
      the Merger  shall have been  approved  for listing on the Nasdaq  National
      Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

7.2 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT - COHOES

      The  obligations  of Cohoes to  effect  the  Merger  shall be  subject  to
satisfaction  of the  following  conditions  at or prior to the  Closing  unless
waived by Cohoes to the extent permitted by
Section 8.4.

            (a)  Between  the date  hereof and the  Closing,  Hudson  and/or its
      Subsidiaries shall not have been affected by any event or change which has
      had or caused a Material Adverse Effect on Hudson.

            (b) The  representations  and warranties of Hudson made herein shall
      be  true  and   correct  as  of  the  date  hereof  and  (other  than  the
      representations  and warranties in Section 3.1 with respect to the effects
      of any  exercise of Rights or vesting of  Restricted  Stock and in Section
      3.6) as of the  Closing  as  though  made anew at the  Closing  (as if the
      Closing Date was the date hereof for such purpose), in each case as to the
      representations and warranties of Hudson


                                      54

<PAGE>



      under Article IV subject to the standard set forth in
      Section 9.8.

            (c)  Hudson  shall  have  performed  in all  material  respects  all
      obligations  and complied in all material  respects with all covenants and
      agreements  required to be performed  and complied  with by it pursuant to
      this Agreement
      on or prior to the Closing.

            (d) Hudson shall have delivered to Cohoes a  certificate,  dated the
      Closing  Date and signed by its Chief  Executive  Officer and by its Chief
      Financial Officer, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Sections
      7.2(a) through 7.2(c) have been satisfied.

            (e) Hudson shall have furnished Cohoes with such certificates of its
      officers or others and such other documents to evidence fulfillment of the
      conditions set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 as such conditions  relate to
      Hudson and its Subsidiaries as Cohoes may reasonably request.

7.3 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT - HUDSON

      The  obligations  of Hudson to  effect  the  Merger  shall be  subject  to
satisfaction  of the  following  conditions  at or prior to the  Closing  unless
waived by Hudson to the extent permitted by
Section 8.4.

            (a)  Between  the date  hereof and the  Closing,  Cohoes  and/or its
      Subsidiaries shall not have been affected by any event or change which has
      had or caused a Material Adverse Effect on Cohoes.

            (b) The  representations  and  warranties of Cohoes set forth herein
      shall be true  and  correct  as of the date  hereof  and  (other  than the
      representations  and warranties in Section 3.1 with respect to the effects
      of any  exercise of Rights or vesting of  Restricted  Stock and in Section
      3.6) as of the  Closing  as  though  made anew at the  Closing  (as if the
      Closing Date was the date hereof for such purpose), in each case as to the
      representations  and  warranties of Cohoes under Article IV subject to the
      standard set forth in Section 9.8.



                                      55

<PAGE>



            (c)  Cohoes  shall  have  performed  in all  material  respects  all
      obligations  and complied in all material  respects with all covenants and
      agreements  required to be performed  and complied  with by it pursuant to
      this Agreement
      on or prior to the Closing.

            (d) Cohoes shall have delivered to Hudson a  certificate,  dated the
      Closing  Date and signed by its Chief  Executive  Officer and by its Chief
      Financial Officer, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Sections
      7.3(a) through 7.3(c) have been satisfied.

            (e) Cohoes shall have furnished Hudson with such certificates of its
      officers or others and such other documents to evidence fulfillment of the
      conditions set forth in Sections 7.1 and 7.3 as such conditions  relate to
      Cohoes and its Subsidiaries as Hudson may reasonably request.

            (f)  Each  affiliate  of  Cohoes  for  purposes  of Rule  145 of the
      Securities Act shall have entered into an affiliate  agreement in the form
      attached hereto as Exhibit E.

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                         TERMINATION, WAIVER, AMENDMENT
                            AND SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

8.1 TERMINATION

      This  Agreement  may be terminated  by a written  instrument  prior to the
Effective Time:

            (a) by the mutual consent of the Parties;

            (b) by the  non-breaching  Party if the other Party has  breached in
      any material respect any of its covenants,  agreements or  representations
      and warranties (but in the case of  representations  and warranties  under
      Article IV subject to the standard  set forth in Section 9.8) herein,  and
      such breach has not been cured within 30 days after written notice;

            (c) by either  Party,  (i) if any  Governmental  Entity of competent
      jurisdiction shall have issued a final nonappealable order prohibiting the
      completion of the Merger; or (ii) if application for any necessary prior


                                      56

<PAGE>



      approval of a Governmental Entity is denied or withdrawn at the request or
      recommendation  of the Governmental  Entity,  provided that such denial or
      request or  recommendation  for  withdrawal is not due to the  terminating
      Party's breach of any provision of this Agreement;

            (d) By  either  Party if the  shareholders  of  either  Party do not
      approve the Cohoes  Proposal or the Hudson  Proposal  (including each part
      thereof), as applicable; and

            (e) by either  Party if the  Effective  Time has not occurred by the
      close of business on February  28,  2001,  provided  that the  terminating
      Party  is not  then  in  breach  of any of its  covenants,  agreements  or
      representations  and warranties  (but in the case of  representations  and
      warranties  under  Article IV subject to the standard set forth in Section
      9.8) herein.

8.2 EFFECT OF TERMINATION

      In the event that this  Agreement is  terminated  it shall become void and
have no effect, except for:

            (a) the provisions relating to confidentiality set
      forth in Section 6.4,

            (b) the  provision  relating to press  releases set forth in Section
      6.5,

            (c) the provision relating to expenses set forth in Section 9.1, and

            (d) a termination  pursuant to Section  8.1(b) shall not relieve the
      breaching Party from any liability or damages if such  termination  arises
      out of its willful  breach of any  provision  of this  Agreement;  in such
      event the non-breaching  Party shall be entitled to such monetary remedies
      and relief against the breaching Party as are available at law;  provided,
      however,  that the  non-breaching  Party may only collect monetary damages
      against the breaching  Party if it shall (i) not have exercised any rights
      under the stock  option  agreement  executed by the Parties for benefit of
      the non-breaching Party in the form of Exhibit A or B hereto, whichever is
      applicable,  and (ii) cancel and surrender such stock option  agreement to
      the breaching Party against payment of such damages.


                                      57

<PAGE>



8.3 SURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS

      All  representations,   warranties,   agreements  and  covenants  in  this
Agreement or in any other document or instrument delivered pursuant hereto or in
connection  herewith shall expire on, and be terminated and extinguished at, the
Effective Time other than  agreements or covenants  contained  herein or therein
that by their  terms are to be  performed  after  the  Effective  Time.  No such
representations,  warranties,  agreements  or  covenants  shall be  deemed to be
terminated or  extinguished  so as to deprive the Surviving  Corporation  or any
affiliate of a Party of any defense at law or in equity which otherwise would be
available against the claims of any person,  including any shareholder or former
shareholder.

8.4 WAIVER

      Each Party hereto by written  instrument  approved by its Board and signed
by an executive  officer of such Party, may at any time (whether before or after
approval of this Agreement by the Parties' shareholders) extend the time for the
performance  of any of the  obligations  or other acts of the other Party hereto
and may waive (i) any inaccuracies of the other Party in the  representations or
warranties  contained  in this  Agreement  or any  document  delivered  pursuant
hereto, (ii) compliance with any of the covenants, undertakings or agreements of
the other Party,  (iii) to the extent  permitted by law,  satisfaction of any of
the  conditions  precedent  to its  obligations  contained  herein  or (iv)  the
performance by the other Party of any of its obligations set forth herein.

8.5 AMENDMENT OR SUPPLEMENT

      This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual  written  agreement of
the Parties approved by their Boards and signed by an executive  officer of each
Party,  provided that any such amendment  after the  shareholders of the Parties
have approved this  Agreement  shall not modify either the amount or form of the
Merger  Consideration or otherwise materially adversely affect such shareholders
without the approval of the  shareholders  to the extent  required by applicable
law.

8.6 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

      The Parties acknowledge and agree that the Transactions
contemplated herein are unique and that any remedy at law for


                                      58

<PAGE>



breach is inadequate to compensate the aggrieved Party. Accordingly,  each Party
shall have the right to seek  specific  performance  of this  Agreement  and the
other Party's duties,  obligations,  covenants and agreements herein in order to
cause the Transactions to be consummated. To this end, each Party, to the extent
permitted  by law,  irrevocably  waives  any  defense it might have based on the
adequacy  of a remedy  at law  which  might  be  asserted  as a bar to  specific
performance or any other equitable relief.

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

9.1 EXPENSES

      Except as otherwise  provided below,  each Party hereto shall bear and pay
all costs and expenses  incurred by it in connection with this Agreement and the
Transactions,  including  fees and  expenses of its own  financial  consultants,
investment bankers, accountants and counsel. The Parties shall equally share all
printing costs, mailing costs and filing fees for the Registration Statement and
the Proxy Statement.

9.2 ENTIRE AGREEMENT

      This Agreement  together with any other documents or instruments  executed
by the Parties relating to the subject matter hereto concurrently with or on the
same day as the execution of this Agreement  contains the entire agreement among
the  Parties  with  respect  to  the   Transactions  and  supersedes  all  prior
arrangements or understandings with respect thereto, written or oral, other than
documents referred to herein which are to be executed after the date hereof. The
terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement  shall  inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Parties hereto and their respective successors. Nothing in this
Agreement,  expressed or implied,  is intended to confer upon any person,  other
than the  Parties,  and  their  respective  successors,  any  rights,  remedies,
obligations or liabilities other than as set forth in Article II and in Sections
6.9, 6.11 and 6.12 hereof.



                                      59

<PAGE>



9.3 NO ASSIGNMENT

      None of the  Parties  hereto may  assign any of its rights or  obligations
under this Agreement to any other person.

9.4 NOTICES

      All  notices  or other  communications  which are  required  or  permitted
hereunder shall be in writing and sufficient if delivered personally, telecopied
(with  confirmation)  or sent by  overnight  mail  service or by  registered  or
certified  mail  (return  receipt  requested),  postage  prepaid,  addressed  as
follows:

      If to Cohoes:

                  Cohoes Bancorp, Inc.
                  75 Remsen Street
                  Cohoes, New York 12047

                  Attention: Harry L.  Robinson
                             President and Chief Executive Officer

      With a required copy to:

                  Elias, Matz, Tiernan & Herrick, L.L.P.
                  734 15th Street, N.W.
                  Washington, DC 20005
                        Attn:   Raymond A. Tiernan, Esq.
                                Gerald F. Heupel, Jr., Esq.

      If to Hudson:

                  Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.
                  One Hudson City Center
                  Hudson, New York 12534

                  Attention: Carl A.  Florio
                             President and Chief Executive Officer

      With a required copy to:

                  Silver, Freedman & Taff, L.L.P.
                  1100 New York Avenue, N.W., 7th Floor East
                  Washington, D.C. 20005
                  Attn: Robert L. Freedman, P.C.



                                      60

<PAGE>



9.5 COUNTERPARTS

      This  Agreement  may be executed in any number of  counterparts,  and each
such  counterpart  shall be deemed to be an  original  instrument,  but all such
counterparts together shall constitute but one agreement.

9.6 GOVERNING LAW

      This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in accordance  with the
laws of the State of Delaware  applicable to agreements  made and entirely to be
performed within such  jurisdiction.  The Parties hereby  designate  Wilmington,
Delaware to be the proper  jurisdiction and venue for any suit or action arising
out of this Agreement.

9.7 SEVERABILITY

      Any term,  provision,  covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement
held to be invalid, void or unenforceable, shall be ineffective to the extent of
such invalidity, voidness or unenforceability,  but neither the remaining terms,
provisions,  covenants  or  restrictions  contained  in this  Agreement  nor the
validity or enforceability  thereof in any other  jurisdiction shall be affected
or impaired thereby. Any term,  provision,  covenant or restriction contained in
this Agreement that is so found to be so broad as to be  unenforceable  shall be
interpreted to be as broad as is enforceable.

9.8 STANDARD OF BREACH

      None of the representations or warranties contained in Article IV shall be
deemed  untrue or  incorrect,  and no Party shall be deemed to have breached its
representations  or warranties  therein as a consequence of the existence of any
fact,  circumstance  or event,  which would not,  either  individually  or taken
together with all other facts,  circumstances or events, have a Material Adverse
Effect on any Party.


                                      61

<PAGE>



      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Parties  hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed  by their duly  authorized  officers  and  attested  by their  officers
thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first above written.

                                          COHOES BANCORP, INC.

ATTEST:


/s/ Richard A. Ahl                        By: /s/ Harry L. Robinson
- -------------------------                    -----------------------------
Name: Richard A.  Ahl                        Name: Harry L.  Robinson
Title: Secretary                             Title: President


                                          HUDSON RIVER BANCORP, INC.

ATTEST:


/s/ Holly Rappleyea                       By: /s/ Carl A. Florio
- -------------------------                    -----------------------------
Name: Holly Rappleyea                        Name: Carl A.  Florio
Title: Secretary                             Title: President




                                      62



                                                                     Exhibit 2.2


                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

      STOCK  OPTION  AGREEMENT,  dated  as of April  25,  2000,  between  COHOES
BANCORP,  INC., a Delaware  corporation  ("Grantee"),  and HUDSON RIVER BANCORP,
INC., a Delaware corporation ("Issuer").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

      WHEREAS,  Grantee and Issuer have entered  into an  Agreement  and Plan of
Merger on even date herewith (the "Merger Agreement");

      WHEREAS,  as a condition  and an  inducement  to Grantee to enter into the
Merger Agreement,  Issuer has agreed to grant Grantee the Option (as hereinafter
defined); and

      WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Issuer has approved the grant
of the Option and the Merger Agreement;

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants
and agreements set forth herein and in the Merger Agreement,  the parties hereto
agree as follows:

      1. (a)  Issuer  hereby  grants to Grantee  an  unconditional,  irrevocable
option  (the  "Option")  to  purchase,  subject  to the terms  hereof,  up to an
aggregate of 3,093,765 fully paid and nonassessable  shares of the common stock,
par value $.01 per  share,  of Issuer  ("Common  Stock") at a price per share of
$9.3125;  (the "Option Price");  provided,  that in no event shall the number of
shares  for which  this  Option is  exercisable  exceed  19.9% of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock,  without giving effect to any shares subject
to or issued  pursuant to the Option.  The number of shares of Common Stock that
may be received upon the exercise of the Option and the Option Price are subject
to adjustment as herein set forth.

      (b) In the event that any additional  shares of Common Stock are issued or
otherwise  become  outstanding  after  the date of this  Agreement  (other  than
pursuant to this  Agreement  and pursuant to an event  described in Section 5(a)
hereof),  the number of shares of Common  Stock  subject to the Option  shall be
increased so that, after such issuance,  such number together with any shares of
Common Stock previously  issued pursuant  hereto,  equals 19.9% of the number of
shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding  without giving effect to any
shares  subject or issued  pursuant to the  Option.  Nothing  contained  in this
Section l(b) or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to authorize  Issuer
to issue shares to others in breach of any provision of the Merger Agreement.


                                        1

<PAGE>



      2. (a) The Holder (as  hereinafter  defined) may  exercise the Option,  in
whole  or part,  and  from  time to time,  if,  but  only  if,  both an  Initial
Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined) and a Subsequent  Triggering Event (as
hereinafter  defined) shall have occurred prior to the occurrence of an Exercise
Termination Event (as hereinafter defined),  provided that the Holder shall have
sent the written  notice of such exercise (as provided in subsection (e) of this
Section 2) within six months following the first Subsequent  Triggering Event to
occur (or such later  period as provided in Section 10).  Each of the  following
shall be an Exercise  Termination  Event:  (i) the Effective Time (as defined in
the Merger  Agreement);  (ii)  termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance
with the provisions  thereof if such termination  occurs prior to the occurrence
of an Initial  Triggering  Event,  except a termination  by Grantee  pursuant to
Section 8.1(b) of the Merger Agreement where the breach by Issuer giving rise to
the termination was willful (a "Listed Termination"); or (iii) the passage of 12
months (or such longer  period as provided in Section 10) after  termination  of
the Merger  Agreement if such  termination  follows the occurrence of an Initial
Triggering Event or a Listed Termination (provided that if an Initial Triggering
Event occurs prior to termination of the Merger  Agreement and continues  beyond
such termination and prior to the passage of such 12-month period, or an Initial
Triggering  Event occurs after a Listed  Termination and prior to the passage of
such 12 month period,  then in either case the Exercise  Termination Event shall
be 12 months from the expiration of the Last  Triggering  Event (as  hereinafter
defined)  but in no event  more  than 18  months  after  such  Merger  Agreement
termination). The "Last Triggering Event" shall mean the last Initial Triggering
Event to  expire.  The term  "Holder"  shall  mean the  holder or holders of the
Option  or  any  portion  thereof.  Notwithstanding  anything  to  the  contrary
contained herein, the Option may not be exercised at any time when Grantee shall
be in willful breach of the Merger  Agreement such that Issuer shall be entitled
to terminate the Merger Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1(b) thereof as a result
of such a willful breach.

      (b) The term  "Initial  Triggering  Event" shall mean any of the following
events or transactions occurring on or after the date hereof:

                  (i) Issuer or any of its Significant  Subsidiaries (as defined
      in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X  promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
      Commission (the "SEC")) (an "Issuer Subsidiary"),  without having received
      Grantee's prior written  consent,  shall have entered into an agreement to
      engage in an

                                        2

<PAGE>



      Acquisition Transaction (as hereinafter defined) with any person (the term
      "person"  for  purposes  of this  Agreement  having the  meaning  assigned
      thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of
      1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and the rules and  regulations
      thereunder) other than Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries (each a "Grantee
      Subsidiary")  or the Board of  Directors  of Issuer (the  "Issuer  Board")
      shall have  recommended  that the shareholders of Issuer approve or accept
      any  Acquisition  Transaction  with any  person  other  than  Grantee or a
      Grantee  Subsidiary.  For  purposes of this  Agreement,  (a)  "Acquisition
      Transaction"  shall  mean (x) a merger or  consolidation,  or any  similar
      transaction,  involving  Issuer  or  any  Issuer  Subsidiary  (other  than
      mergers,  consolidations  or similar  transactions  (i)  involving  solely
      Issuer  and/or  one or  more  wholly-owned  Subsidiaries  of  the  Issuer,
      provided,  any such  transaction  is not entered  into in violation of the
      terms of the Merger  Agreement)  or (ii) in which  shareholders  of Issuer
      immediately  prior to completion of such  transaction  own at least 50% of
      the common stock of Issuer (or the  resulting or surviving  entity in such
      transaction),  provided,  any  such  transaction  is not  entered  into in
      violation of the terms of the Merger Agreement),  (y) a purchase, lease or
      other  acquisition  or  assumption of all or any  substantial  part of the
      assets or deposits of Issuer or any Issuer  Subsidiary,  or (z) a purchase
      or other  acquisition  (including by way of merger,  consolidation,  share
      exchange  or  otherwise)  of  securities  representing  10% or more of the
      voting  power  of  Issuer  or  any  Issuer  Subsidiary  and  (b)  "Grantee
      Subsidiary"  shall mean a subsidiary of Grantee  within the definition set
      forth in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act;

                  (ii)  Any  person,  other  than  the  Grantee  or any  Grantee
      Subsidiary,  shall  have  acquired  beneficial  ownership  or the right to
      acquire  beneficial  ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of
      Common  Stock  (the  term  "beneficial  ownership"  for  purposes  of this
      Agreement  having the  meaning  assigned  thereto in Section  13(d) of the
      Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder);

                  (iii) It shall have been  publicly  announced  that any person
      (other than Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary) shall have made, or publicly
      disclosed  an  intention  to make,  a bona fide  proposal  to engage in an
      Acquisition Transaction;

                  (iv) (x) The Issuer Board,  without having received  Grantee's
      prior written consent, shall have withdrawn or

                                        3

<PAGE>



      modified (or publicly  announced  its  intention to withdraw or modify) in
      any manner adverse in any respect to Grantee its  recommendation  that the
      shareholders of Issuer approve the transactions contemplated by the Merger
      Agreement,  (y) Issuer or any Issuer  Subsidiary,  without having received
      Grantee's  prior  written  consent,  shall have  authorized,  recommended,
      proposed (or publicly  announced its intention to authorize,  recommend or
      propose) an agreement  to engage in an  Acquisition  Transaction  with any
      person  other than  Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary,  or (z) Issuer shall
      have provided information to or engaged in negotiations with a third party
      relating to a possible Acquisition Transaction.

                  (v)  Any   person   other   than   Grantee   or  any   Grantee
      Subsidiary,shall  have  filed  with the SEC a  registration  statement  or
      tender  offer  materials  with  respect to a potential  exchange or tender
      offer  that  would  constitute  an  Acquisition  Transaction  (or  filed a
      preliminary  proxy statement with the SEC with respect to a potential vote
      by its  shareholders  to approve  the  issuance of shares to be offered in
      such an exchange offer);

                  (vi) Issuer  shall have  willfully  breached  any  covenant or
      obligation  contained in the Merger Agreement after an overture is made by
      a third party to Issuer or its  shareholders  to engage in an  Acquisition
      Transaction,  and such breach (y) would  entitle  Grantee to terminate the
      Merger  Agreement  (whether  immediately  or after the giving of notice or
      passage  of time or both) and (z) shall not have been  cured  prior to the
      Notice Date (as defined below); or

                  (vii) Any person, other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary
      and other than in connection with a transaction to which Grantee has given
      its prior written consent,  shall have filed an application or notice with
      any federal or state thrift or bank  regulatory  or  antitrust  authority,
      which application or notice has been accepted for processing, for approval
      to engage in an Acquisition Transaction.

      (c) The term "Subsequent Triggering Event" shall mean any of the following
events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:

                  (i) The  acquisition  by any person (other than Grantee or any
      Grantee  Subsidiary)  of  beneficial  ownership of 25% or more of the then
      outstanding Common Stock; or


                                        4

<PAGE>



                  (ii) The occurrence of an Initial  Triggering  Event described
      in  clause  (i) of  subsection  (b) of this  Section  2,  except  that the
      percentage  referred to in clause (z) of the second sentence thereof shall
      be 25%.

      (d) Issuer shall notify  Grantee  promptly in writing of the occurrence of
any  Initial  Triggering  Event or  Subsequent  Triggering  Event  (together,  a
"Triggering  Event"),  it being  understood  that the  giving of such  notice by
Issuer  shall not be a  condition  to the right of the  Holder to  exercise  the
Option.

      (e) In the event the  Holder is  entitled  to and wishes to  exercise  the
Option (or any portion  thereof),  it shall send to Issuer a written notice (the
date of which being herein referred to as the "Notice Date")  specifying (i) the
total  number of shares it will  purchase  pursuant to such  exercise and (ii) a
place and date not earlier than three  business  days nor later than 60 business
days from the Notice Date for the closing of such purchase (the "Closing Date");
provided,  that if  prior  notification  to or  approval  of any  regulatory  or
antitrust agency is required in connection with such purchase,  the Holder shall
promptly file the required  notice or application  for approval,  shall promptly
notify  Issuer of such filing and shall  expeditiously  process the same and the
period of time that  otherwise  would run  pursuant to this  sentence  shall run
instead from the date on which any required notification periods have expired or
been  terminated or such approvals have been obtained and any requisite  waiting
period or periods shall have passed.  Any exercise of the Option shall be deemed
to occur on the  Notice  Date  relating  thereto.  The term  "business  day" for
purposes of this Agreement means any day, excluding  Saturdays,  Sundays and any
other  day that is a legal  holiday  in the  State of New York or a day on which
banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized by law or executive
order to close.

      (f) At the closing  referred to in  subsection  (e) of this Section 2, the
Holder shall (i) pay to Issuer the  aggregate  purchase  price for the shares of
Common Stock  purchased  pursuant to the  exercise of the Option in  immediately
available funds by wire transfer to a bank account designated by Issuer and (ii)
present  and  surrender  this  Agreement  to Issuer at its  principal  executive
offices,  provided that the failure or refusal of the Issuer to designate such a
bank account or accept surrender of this Agreement shall not preclude the Holder
from exercising the Option.


                                        5

<PAGE>



      (g) At such  closing,  simultaneously  with the  delivery  of  immediately
available  funds as provided in  subsection  (f) of this Section 2, Issuer shall
deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates  representing  the number of
shares of Common  Stock  purchased by the Holder and, if the Option is exercised
in part only,  a new  Option  evidencing  the  rights of the  Holder  thereof to
purchase the balance of the shares purchasable  hereunder,  and the Holder shall
deliver to Issuer a copy of this Agreement and a letter agreeing that the Holder
will not offer to sell or  otherwise  dispose  of such  shares in  violation  of
applicable law or the provisions of this Agreement.

      (h) Certificates for Common Stock delivered at a closing  hereunder may be
endorsed with a restrictive legend that shall read substantially as follows:

            "The  transfer  of the shares  represented  by this  certificate  is
      subject to certain  provisions  of an  agreement  between  the  registered
      holder  hereof  and Issuer and to resale  restrictions  arising  under the
      Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A copy of such agreement is on file at
      the  principal  office of Issuer and will be provided to the holder hereof
      without charge upon receipt by Issuer of a written request therefor."

It is understood and agreed that:  (i) the reference to the resale  restrictions
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"), in the above
legend shall be removed by delivery of  substitute  certificate(s)  without such
reference if the Holder  shall have  delivered to Issuer a copy of a letter from
the staff of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory  to Issuer,  to the effect  that such  legend is not  required  for
purposes of the  Securities  Act; (ii) the  reference to the  provisions of this
Agreement  in the above  legend  shall be  removed  by  delivery  of  substitute
certificate(s)   without  such  reference  if  the  shares  have  been  sold  or
transferred  in  compliance  with the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such reference in the opinion
of  counsel  to the  Holder in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to
Issuer;  and (iii) the legend shall be removed in its entirety if the conditions
in the  preceding  clauses (i) and (ii) are both  satisfied.  In addition,  such
certificates shall bear any other legend as may be required by law.

      (i) Upon the  giving by the  Holder to  Issuer  of the  written  notice of
exercise of the Option provided for under  subsection (e) of this Section 2, the
tender of the applicable purchase price in

                                        6

<PAGE>



immediately  available  funds  and the  tender  of a copy of this  Agreement  to
Issuer,  the Holder  shall be deemed,  subject to the  receipt of any  necessary
regulatory  approvals,  to be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon such  exercise,  notwithstanding  that the stock transfer books of
Issuer  shall then be closed or that  certificates  representing  such shares of
Common Stock shall not then be actually  delivered  to the Holder.  Issuer shall
pay all expenses,  and any and all United States federal,  state and local taxes
and other charges that may be payable in connection with the preparation,  issue
and  delivery  of stock  certificates  under  this  Section 2 in the name of the
Holder or its assignee, transferee or designee.

      3.  Issuer  agrees:  (i) that it shall at all  times  maintain,  free from
preemptive  rights,  sufficient  authorized  but unissued or treasury  shares of
Common   Stock  so  that  the  Option  may  be  exercised   without   additional
authorization  of  Common  Stock  after  giving  effect  to all  other  options,
warrants, convertible securities and other rights to purchase Common Stock; (ii)
that it will not, by charter amendment or through reorganization, consolidation,
merger,  dissolution or sale of assets,  or by any other voluntary act, avoid or
seek  to  avoid  the   observance  or  performance  of  any  of  the  covenants,
stipulations  or  conditions  to be observed or  performed  hereunder by Issuer;
(iii)  promptly  to take  all  action  as may  from  time  to  time be  required
(including  without  limitation(x)   complying  with  all  applicable  premerger
notification,  reporting and waiting period requirements  specified in 15 U.S.C.
Section 18a and regulations  promulgated  thereunder and (y) in the event, under
any state or federal  thrift or banking law,  prior approval of or notice to any
state or federal  regulatory  authority  is  necessary  before the Option may be
exercised,  cooperating  fully with the Holder in preparing such applications or
notices  and  providing  such  information  to such state or federal  regulatory
authority  as they may  require) in order to permit the Holder to  exercise  the
Option and Issuer duly and  effectively to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant
hereto;  and (iv)  promptly  to take all action  provided  herein to protect the
rights of the Holder against dilution.

      4. This  Agreement  (and the  Option  granted  hereby)  are  exchangeable,
without expense, at the option of the Holder, upon presentation and surrender of
this Agreement at the principal office of Issuer, for other Agreements providing
for Options of different denominations entitling the holder thereof to purchase,
on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as are set forth herein, in
the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock  purchasable  hereunder.
The terms "Agreement" and "Option" as

                                        7

<PAGE>



used herein include any Agreements and related  Options for which this Agreement
(and the Option  granted  hereby) may be  exchanged.  Upon  receipt by Issuer of
evidence  reasonably  satisfactory  to it of the  loss,  theft,  destruction  or
mutilation of this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of
reasonably satisfactory indemnification,  and upon surrender and cancellation of
this Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will execute and deliver a new Agreement of
like  tenor  and date.  Any such new  Agreement  executed  and  delivered  shall
constitute an additional  contractual  obligation on the part of Issuer, whether
or not the Agreement so lost,  stolen,  destroyed or mutilated shall at any time
be enforceable by anyone.

      5. In addition to the  adjustment  in the number of shares of Common Stock
that are  purchasable  upon exercise of the Option pursuant to Section 1 of this
Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of
the Option and the Option Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 5.

      (a) In the event of any change in Issuer Common Stock by reason of a stock
dividend,  stock split,  split-up,  recapitalization,  combination,  exchange of
shares or  similar  transaction,  the type and  number  of shares or  securities
subject to the Option  shall be  adjusted  appropriately,  and proper  provision
shall be made in the agreements  governing such transaction so that Holder shall
receive,  upon  exercise of the Option,  the number and class of shares or other
securities  or  property  that Holder  would have  received in respect of Issuer
Common Stock if the Option had been exercised  immediately  prior to such event,
or the record date therefor,  as applicable.  If any additional shares of Issuer
Common Stock are issued after the date of this Agreement (other than pursuant to
an event  described  in the first  sentence of this  Section  5(a) or other than
pursuant to this Agreement), the number of shares of Issuer Common Stock subject
to the option shall be adjusted so that,  after such issuance,  it together with
any shares of Issuer Common Stock  previously  issued  pursuant  hereto,  equals
19.9%  of  the  number  of  shares  of  Issuer  Common  Stock  then  issued  and
outstanding,  without giving effect to any shares subject to or issued  pursuant
to the Option.

      (b)  Whenever  the  number  of shares of  Common  Stock  purchasable  upon
exercise  hereof is adjusted as  provided  in this  Section 5, the Option  Price
shall be adjusted by multiplying  the Option Price by a fraction,  the numerator
of which  shall be equal to the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  purchasable
prior to the adjustment and the

                                        8

<PAGE>



denominator  of which  shall be equal to the  number of  shares of Common  Stock
purchasable after the adjustment.

      6. Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent  Triggering Event that occurs prior
to an  Exercise  Termination  Event,  Issuer  shall,  at the  request of Grantee
delivered  within six months (or such later period as provided in Section 10) of
such Subsequent  Triggering Event (whether on its own behalf or on behalf of any
subsequent  holder of this  Option  (or part  thereof)  or any of the  shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant hereto),  promptly prepare, file and keep current a
shelf  registration  statement under the Securities Act covering this Option and
any  shares  issued  and  issuable  pursuant  to this  Option  and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective
and  remain  current in order to permit  the sale or other  disposition  of this
Option and any shares of Common Stock  issued upon total or partial  exercise of
this  Option  ("Option  Shares")  in  accordance  with any  plan of  disposition
requested by Grantee.  Issuer will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
registration statement promptly to become effective and then to remain effective
for  such  period  not in  excess  of 6 months  from  the day such  registration
statement  first  becomes  effective or such  shorter time as may be  reasonably
necessary  to effect such sales or other  dispositions.  Grantee  shall have the
right to demand two such  registrations,  provided that any second  registration
shall be requested by Grantee within 12 months (or such later period as provided
in Section 10) following the occurrence of the Subsequent  Triggering Event. The
Issuer shall bear the costs of such  registrations  (including,  but not limited
to,  Issuer's  attorneys'  fees,  printing  costs and  filing  fees,  except for
underwriting   discounts  or  commissions,   brokers'  fees  and  the  fees  and
disbursements   of   Grantee's   counsel   related   thereto).   The   foregoing
notwithstanding,  if, at the time of any request by Grantee for  registration of
the Option or Option Shares as provided above,  Issuer is in  registration  with
respect to an underwritten  public offering by Issuer of shares of Common Stock,
and if in the good  faith  judgment  of the  managing  underwriter  or  managing
underwriters,  or,  if  none,  the sole  underwriter  or  underwriters,  of such
offering,  the offer and sale of the  Option  Shares  would  interfere  with the
successful marketing of the shares of Common Stock offered by Issuer, the number
of  Option  Shares  otherwise  to  be  covered  in  the  registration  statement
contemplated  hereby  may be  reduced;  provided,  however,  that after any such
required  reduction  the number of Option Shares to be included in such offering
for the account of all Holders shall constitute at least 25% of the total number
of shares to be sold by the Holders and Issuer in the  aggregate;  and  provided
further, however, that if

                                        9

<PAGE>



such reduction occurs,  then Issuer shall file a registration  statement for the
balance as promptly as practicable  thereafter as to which no reduction pursuant
to this Section 6 shall be permitted or occur and the Holder shall thereafter be
entitled to one  additional  registration  and the 12-month  period  referred to
above  shall be  increased  to 18 months.  Each such  Holder  shall  provide all
information  reasonably  requested by Issuer for  inclusion in any  registration
statement to be filed  hereunder.  If requested by any such Holder in connection
with  such  registration,  Issuer  shall  become  a  party  to any  underwriting
agreement  relating  to the  sale of such  shares,  but  only to the  extent  of
obligating  itself in respect of  representations,  warranties,  indemnities and
other  agreements  customarily  included  in such  underwriting  agreements  for
Issuer. Upon receiving any request under this Section 6 from any Holder,  Issuer
agrees to send a copy thereof to any other person known to Issuer to be entitled
to  registration  rights under this Section 6, in each case by promptly  mailing
the same,  postage prepaid,  to the address of record of the persons entitled to
receive such copies.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
in no event shall the number of registrations that Issuer is obligated to effect
be increased by reason of the fact that there shall be more than one Holder as a
result of any assignment or division of this Agreement.

      7. (a) At any time after the occurrence of a Repurchase  Event (as defined
below)  (i) at the  request  of  the  Holder,  delivered  prior  to an  Exercise
Termination  Event (or such later period as provided in Section 10),  Issuer (or
any successor  thereto)  shall  repurchase the Option from the Holder at a price
(the  "Option   Repurchase  Price")  equal  to  the  amount  by  which  (A)  the
Market/Offer  Price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the Option Price,  multiplied
by the number of shares for which this Option may then be exercised  and (ii) at
the  request  of the owner of  Option  Shares  from time to time (the  "Owner"),
delivered  prior to an  Exercise  Termination  Event  (or such  later  period as
provided in Section 10), Issuer (or any successor thereto) shall repurchase such
number of the Option  Shares  from the Owner as the Owner shall  designate  at a
price (the "Option  Share  Repurchase  Price") equal to the  Market/Offer  Price
multiplied by the number of Option Shares so designated.  The term "Market/Offer
Price"  shall  mean the  highest  of (i) the price per share of Common  Stock at
which a tender or  exchange  offer  therefor  has been made,  (ii) the price per
share of Common Stock paid or to be paid by any third party,  other than Grantee
or a  Grantee  Subsidiary,  pursuant  to an  agreement  with  Issuer of the kind
described in Section 2(b)(i) hereof,  (iii) the highest closing price for shares
of Common Stock within the six-month period  immediately  preceding the date the
Holder gives notice of the required repurchase of this Option or the Owner gives
notice of the required  repurchase of Option Shares, as the case may be, or (iv)
in the event of a sale or  transfer of all or any  substantial  part of Issuer's
assets or  deposits,  the sum of the net price paid in such sale for such assets
or deposits and the current  market value of the  remaining net assets of Issuer
as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Holder or the Owner,  as the case may be, and  reasonably  acceptable to Issuer,
divided by the  number of shares of Common  Stock of Issuer  outstanding  at the
time of  such  sale.  In  determining  the  Market/Offer  Price,  the  value  of
consideration  other than cash shall be  determined  by a nationally  recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Holder or Owner, as the case may be, and
reasonably acceptable to Issuer.

      (b) The Holder and the Owner,  as the case may be, may  exercise its right
to require  Issuer to repurchase  the Option and any Option  Shares  pursuant to
this  Section 7 by  surrendering  for such purpose to Issuer,  at its  principal
office,  a copy  of  this  Agreement  or  certificates  for  Option  Shares,  as
applicable,  accompanied by a written notice or notices  stating that the Holder
or the Owner,  as the case may be, elects to require  Issuer to repurchase  this
Option  and/or the  Option  Shares in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this
Section 7. The Owner shall also  represent  and warrant  that it has sole record
and  beneficial  ownership of such Option Shares and that such Option Shares are
free and clear of all liens. As promptly as practicable, and in any event within
five  business  days  after the  surrender  of the  Option  and/or  certificates
representing  Option  Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices  relating
thereto,  Issuer shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder the Option
Repurchase  Price and/or to the Owner the Option Share Repurchase Price therefor
or the portion thereof that Issuer is not then prohibited  under  applicable law
and regulation from so delivering.

      (c) To the  extent  that  Issuer is  prohibited  under  applicable  law or
regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative policy, from repurchasing the
Option and/or the Option Shares in full,  Issuer shall immediately so notify the
Holder and/or the Owner and  thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,  from
time to time, to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the portion of the
Option  Repurchase  Price and the Option Share Repurchase  Price,  respectively,
that it is no longer prohibited from delivering, within five business days after
the date on which Issuer is no longer so prohibited;  provided, however, that if
Issuer at any time

                                       10

<PAGE>



after  delivery  of a notice of  repurchase  pursuant to  paragraph  (b) of this
Section 7 is prohibited under applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence
of administrative policy, or as a result of a written agreement or other binding
obligation with a governmental or regulatory body or agency,  from delivering to
the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the Option Repurchase Price and the
Option  Share  Repurchase  Price,  respectively,  in part or in full (and Issuer
hereby  undertakes  to use its  reasonable  best  efforts to obtain all required
regulatory and legal  approvals and to file any required  notices as promptly as
practicable  in order to accomplish  such  repurchase),  the Holder or Owner may
revoke its notice of repurchase of the Option and/or the Option Shares either in
whole or to the extent of the prohibition, whereupon, in the latter case, Issuer
shall promptly (i) deliver to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate,  that
portion of the Option  Repurchase Price and/or the Option Share Repurchase Price
that Issuer is not prohibited  from delivering with respect to Options or Option
Shares as to which the Holder or the Owner,  as the case may be, has not revoked
its  repurchase  demand;  and (ii) deliver,  as  appropriate,  either (A) to the
Holder,  a new Stock  Option  Agreement  evidencing  the right of the  Holder to
purchase  that  number of shares of Common  Stock  obtained by  multiplying  the
number  of  shares of Common  Stock  for  which  the  surrendered  Stock  Option
Agreement was exercisable at the time of delivery of the notice of repurchase by
a  fraction,  the  numerator  of which is the Option  Repurchase  Price less the
portion thereof theretofore delivered to the Holder and the denominator of which
is the Option Repurchase  Price,  and/or (B) to the Owner, a certificate for the
Option  Shares  it is then  so  prohibited  from  repurchasing.  If an  Exercise
Termination  Event shall have occurred prior to the date of the notice by Issuer
described in the first sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to
occur at any time before the  expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day
after such date,  the Holder  shall  nonetheless  have the right to exercise the
Option until the expiration of such 30-day period.

      (d) For purposes of this Section 7, a  "Repurchase  Event" shall be deemed
to  have  occurred  upon  the  occurrence  of  any of the  following  events  or
transactions after the date hereof:

                  (i) the  acquisition  by any person (other than Grantee or any
      Grantee  Subsidiary)  of  beneficial  ownership of 50% or more of the then
      outstanding Common Stock; or

                  (ii) the consummation of any Acquisition Transaction described
      in Section  2(b)(i)  hereof,  except  that the  percentage  referred to in
      clause (z) shall be 50%.

                                       11

<PAGE>



      8. (a) In the event that prior to an Exercise  Termination  Event,  Issuer
shall enter into an agreement (i) to consolidate  with or merge into any person,
other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, or engage in a plan of exchange with
any person,  other than Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary and Issuer shall not be
the continuing or surviving  corporation of such  consolidation or merger or the
acquirer in such plan of exchange, (ii) to permit any person, other than Grantee
or a Grantee Subsidiary, to merge into Issuer or be acquired by Issuer in a plan
of  exchange  and Issuer  shall be the  continuing  or  surviving  or  acquiring
corporation,  but, in connection with such merger or plan of exchange,  the then
outstanding  shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other  securities  of any other  person or cash or any other  property or the
then  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock  shall  after such  merger or plan of
exchange represent less than 50% of the outstanding shares and share equivalents
of the merged or acquiring  company,  or (iii) to sell or otherwise transfer all
or a substantial part of its or the Issuer savings bank  Subsidiary's  assets or
deposits to any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, then, and in
each such case,  the  agreement  governing  such  transaction  shall make proper
provision  so  that  the  Option  shall,  upon  the  consummation  of  any  such
transaction  and upon the terms and  conditions  set forth herein,  be converted
into, or exchanged for, an option (the "Substitute  Option"), at the election of
the Holder, of either (x) the Acquiring  Corporation (as hereinafter defined) or
(y) any person that controls the Acquiring Corporation.

      (b)         The following terms have the meanings indicated:

                  (i) "Acquiring  Corporation"  shall mean (i) the continuing or
      surviving  person of a consolidation  or merger with Issuer (if other than
      Issuer),  (ii) the acquiring  person in a plan of exchange in which Issuer
      is  acquired,  (iii) the Issuer in a merger or plan of  exchange  in which
      Issuer is the  continuing or surviving or acquiring  person,  and (iv) the
      transferee of all or a substantial part of Issuer's assets or deposits (or
      the assets or deposits of the Issuer savings bank Subsidiary).

                  (ii)  "Substitute  Common  Stock"  shall mean the common stock
      issued  by the  issuer  of the  Substitute  Option  upon  exercise  of the
      Substitute Option.

                  (iii) "Assigned Value" shall mean the  Market/Offer  Price, as
      defined in Section 7.

                                       12

<PAGE>



                  (iv) "Average Price" shall mean the average closing price of a
      share of the Substitute  Common Stock for one year  immediately  preceding
      the consolidation,  merger, share exchange or sale in question,  but in no
      event  higher than the closing  price of the shares of  Substitute  Common
      Stock on the day preceding such consolidation,  merger,  share exchange or
      sale;  provided that if Issuer is the issuer of the Substitute Option, the
      Average  Price shall be computed  with  respect to a share of common stock
      issued by the person  merging into Issuer or by any company which controls
      or is controlled by such person, as the Holder may elect.

      (c) The  Substitute  Option  shall  have  the same  terms  as the  Option,
provided that if the terms of the Substitute  Option cannot,  for legal reasons,
be the same as the Option,  such terms shall be as similar as possible and in no
event less advantageous to the Holder. The issuer of the Substitute Option shall
also enter into an agreement  with the then Holder or Holders of the  Substitute
Option in substantially the same form as this Agreement (after giving effect for
such  purpose  to the  provisions  of  Section  9),  which  agreement  shall  be
applicable to the Substitute Option.

      (d) The Substitute  Option shall be exercisable  for such number of shares
of Substitute  Common Stock as is equal to the Assigned Value  multiplied by the
number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  for  which  the  Option  was  exercisable
immediately  prior to the event described in the first sentence of Section 8(a),
divided by the Average Price.  The exercise  price of the Substitute  Option per
share of  Substitute  Common  Stock  shall  then be equal  to the  Option  Price
multiplied  by a fraction,  the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Common Stock for which the Option was  exercisable  immediately  prior to the
event  described in the first  sentence of Section 8(a) and the  denominator  of
which  shall be the number of shares of  Substitute  Common  Stock for which the
Substitute Option is exercisable.

      (e) In no event,  pursuant to any of the foregoing  paragraphs,  shall the
Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the shares of Substitute
Common Stock  outstanding  prior to exercise of the  Substitute  Option.  In the
event that the Substitute Option would be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the
shares of  Substitute  Common Stock  outstanding  prior to exercise but for this
clause (e), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the "Substitute Option Issuer")
shall make a cash  payment to Holder equal to the excess of (i) the value of the
Substitute  Option  without  giving effect to the  limitation in this clause (e)
over (ii) the value of

                                       13

<PAGE>



the Substitute  Option after giving effect to the limitation in this clause (e).
This  difference  in  value  shall  be  determined  by a  nationally  recognized
investment  banking  firm  selected by a majority in interest of the Holders and
the Owners, and reasonably acceptable to the Acquiring Corporation.

      (f) Issuer shall not enter into any  transaction  described in  subsection
(a) of this  Section 8 unless the  Acquiring  Corporation  and any  person  that
controls the  Acquiring  Corporation  assume in writing all the  obligations  of
Issuer hereunder.

      9.  (a) At the  request  of the  holder  of  the  Substitute  Option  (the
"Substitute  Option Holder"),  the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase the
Substitute  Option from the Substitute Option Holder at a price (the "Substitute
Option  Repurchase  Price") equal to the amount by which (i) the Highest Closing
Price (as hereinafter defined) exceeds (ii) the exercise price of the Substitute
Option,  multiplied by the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which
the  Substitute  Option may then be  exercised,  and at the request of the owner
(the  "Substitute  Share  Owner")  of shares of  Substitute  Common  Stock  (the
"Substitute  Shares"),   the  Substitute  Option  Issuer  shall  repurchase  the
Substitute Shares at a price (the "Substitute Share Repurchase  Price") equal to
the Highest  Closing  Price  multiplied  by the number of  Substitute  Shares so
designated.  The term  "Highest  Closing  Price" shall mean the highest  closing
price for  shares  of  Substitute  Common  Stock  within  the  six-month  period
immediately  preceding the date the Substitute Option Holder gives notice of the
required repurchase of the Substitute Option or the Substitute Share Owner gives
notice of the required repurchase of the Substitute Shares, as applicable.

      (b) Each Substitute  Option Holder and Substitute Share Owner, as the case
may be, may  exercise its  respective  rights to require the  Substitute  Option
Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and the Substitute Shares pursuant to
this Section 9 by surrendering for such purpose to the Substitute Option Issuer,
at its principal  office,  the agreement for such Substitute  Option (or, in the
absence of such an agreement,  a copy of this Agreement) and/or certificates for
Substitute  Shares  accompanied by a written notice or notices  stating that the
Substitute  Option  Holder or the  Substitute  Share Owner,  as the case may be,
elects to require the  Substitute  Option  Issuer to repurchase  the  Substitute
Option and/or the  Substitute  Shares in accordance  with the provisions of this
Section 9. As promptly as practicable and in any event within five business days
after the surrender of the Substitute  Option and/or  certificates  representing
Substitute Shares and the receipt of such

                                       14

<PAGE>



notice or notices relating  thereto,  the Substitute Option Issuer shall deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Substitute  Option Holder the Substitute  Option
Repurchase  Price  and/or to the  Substitute  Share Owner the  Substitute  Share
Repurchase  Price  therefor or, in either case,  the portion  thereof  which the
Substitute  Option  Issuer  is not  then  prohibited  under  applicable  law and
regulation from so delivering.

      (c) To the extent that the  Substitute  Option Issuer is prohibited  under
applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative  policy, or
as  a  result  of a  written  agreement  or  other  binding  obligation  with  a
governmental  or regulatory  body or agency,  from  repurchasing  the Substitute
Option and/or the Substitute  Shares in part or in full,  the Substitute  Option
Issuer shall  immediately  so notify the  Substitute  Option  Holder  and/or the
Substitute  Share Owner and  thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,  from
time to time, to the Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner,
as appropriate, the portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and/or the
Substitute  Share  Repurchase  Price,  respectively,   which  it  is  no  longer
prohibited  from  delivering,  within five business days after the date on which
the Substitute Option Issuer is no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that
if the  Substitute  Option  Issuer is at any time after  delivery of a notice of
repurchase  pursuant  to  subsection  (b) of this  Section  9  prohibited  under
applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative  policy, or
as  a  result  of a  written  agreement  or  other  binding  obligation  with  a
governmental  or regulatory  body or agency,  from  delivering to the Substitute
Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate,  the Substitute
Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share Repurchase Price, respectively,
in full (and the Substitute  Option Issuer shall use its reasonable best efforts
to  receive  all  required   regulatory  and  legal  approvals  as  promptly  as
practicable  in order to accomplish  such  repurchase),  the  Substitute  Option
Holder and/or  Substitute Share Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the
Substitute  Option or the Substitute  Shares either in whole or to the extent of
prohibition,  whereupon,  in the latter case, the Substitute Option Issuer shall
promptly (i) deliver to the Substitute  Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner,
as appropriate,  that portion of the Substitute  Option  Repurchase Price or the
Substitute  Share  Repurchase  Price that the  Substitute  Option  Issuer is not
prohibited from delivering; and (ii) deliver, as appropriate,  either (A) to the
Substitute  Option Holder, a new Substitute  Option  evidencing the right of the
Substitute  Option  Holder to purchase  that number of shares of the  Substitute
Common Stock obtained by multiplying the number of shares of the

                                       15

<PAGE>



Substitute  Common  Stock  for  which  the  surrendered  Substitute  Option  was
exercisable  at the time of delivery of the notice of  repurchase by a fraction,
the  numerator  of which is the  Substitute  Option  Repurchase  Price  less the
portion thereof  theretofore  delivered to the Substitute  Option Holder and the
denominator of which is the Substitute Option  Repurchase  Price,  and/or (B) to
the Substitute Share Owner, a certificate for the Substitute Option Shares it is
then so prohibited from  repurchasing.  If an Exercise  Termination  Event shall
have occurred  prior to the date of the notice by the  Substitute  Option Issuer
described in the first sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to
occur at any time before the  expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day
after such date, the Substitute Option Holder shall  nevertheless have the right
to exercise the Substitute Option until the expiration of such 30-day period.

      10. The 30-day,  6-month,  12-month or  18-month  periods for  exercise of
certain rights under Sections 2, 6, 7 and 9 shall be extended: (i) to the extent
necessary to obtain all  regulatory  approvals  for the exercise of such rights,
and for the expiration of all statutory waiting periods;(ii) during the pendency
of any  temporary  restraining  order,  injunction  or  other  legal  bar to the
exercise of such rights;  and (iii) to the extent  necessary to avoid  liability
under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act by reason of such exercise.

      11. Issuer hereby represents and warrants to Grantee as follows:

      (a) Issuer has full  corporate  power and authority to execute and deliver
this  Agreement and to consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly and validly  authorized by the
Issuer Board on or prior to the date hereof and no other  corporate  proceedings
on the part of Issuer are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate
the  transactions  so  contemplated.  This  Agreement  has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Issuer.

      (b) Issuer  has taken all  necessary  corporate  action to  authorize  and
reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof through
the  termination  of this  Agreement  in  accordance  with its  terms  will have
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option,  that number of shares of
Common  Stock equal to the maximum  number of shares of Common Stock at any time
and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares, upon

                                       16

<PAGE>



issuance pursuant thereto, will be duly authorized,  validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable,  and will be  delivered  free and  clear  of all  claims,  liens,
encumbrance and security interests and not subject to any preemptive rights.

      12. Grantee hereby represents and warrants to Issuer that:

      (a) Grantee has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into,
execute and deliver this  Agreement  and,  subject to any  approvals or consents
referred to herein,  to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized  by all  necessary
corporate  action on the part of Grantee and no other  corporate  proceedings on
the part of Grantee are necessary to authorize  this  Agreement or to consummate
the  transactions  so  contemplated.  This  Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by Grantee.

      (b) The  Option is not  being,  and any  shares  of Common  Stock or other
securities acquired by Grantee upon exercise of the Option will not be, acquired
with a view to the public  distribution  thereof and will not be  transferred or
otherwise  disposed  of  except  in a  transaction  registered  or  exempt  from
registration under the Securities Act.

      13.  Neither  of the  parties  hereto  may  assign  any of its  rights  or
obligations  under this Agreement or the Option  created  hereunder to any other
person,  without the express written consent of the other party,  except that in
the event a Subsequent Triggering Event shall have occurred prior to an Exercise
Termination Event, Grantee, subject to the express provisions hereof, may assign
in whole or in part its  rights  and  obligations  hereunder;  within six months
following such Subsequent  Triggering Event;  provided,  however, that until the
date 15 days following the date on which the applicable bank or thrift regulator
has  approved an  application  by Grantee to acquire the shares of Common  Stock
subject to the Option,  but only if such  approval is required,  Grantee may not
assign  its  rights  under the Option  except in (i) a widely  dispersed  public
distribution,  (ii) a private placement in which no one party acquires the right
to purchase in excess of 2% of the voting shares of Issuer,  (iii) an assignment
to a single party (e.g., a broker or investment  banker) for the sole purpose of
conducting a widely  dispersed  public  distribution on Grantee's behalf or (iv)
any other manner approved by the applicable bank or thrift regulator.


                                       17

<PAGE>



      14.  Each of Grantee and Issuer will use its  reasonable  best  efforts to
make all  filings  with,  and to  obtain  consents  of,  all third  parties  and
governmental  authorities  necessary  to the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

      15. (a) Grantee may, at any time following a Repurchase Event and prior to
the  occurrence  of an  Exercise  Termination  Event  (or such  later  period as
provided in Section 10),  relinquish the Option (together with any Option Shares
issued to and then owned by Grantee) to Issuer in exchange  for a cash fee equal
to the Surrender Price (as hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Grantee
may  not  exercise  its  rights  pursuant  to  this  Section  15 if  Issuer  has
repurchased the Option (or any portion thereof) or any Option Shares pursuant to
Section 7. The  "Surrender  Price" shall be equal to $4.4  million (i) plus,  if
applicable,  Grantee's purchase price with respect to any Option Shares and (ii)
minus, if applicable,  the excess of (A) the net cash amounts,  if any, received
by Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary  pursuant to the arms' length sale of Option
Shares (or any other  securities into which such Option Shares were converted or
exchanged) to any unaffiliated  party, over (B) Grantee's purchase price of such
Option Shares.

      (b) Grantee may exercise its right to relinquish the Option and any Option
Shares pursuant to this Section 15 by  surrendering to Issuer,  at its principal
office, a copy of this Agreement  together with  certificates for Option Shares,
if any,  accompanied  by a written  notice  stating (i) that  Grantee  elects to
relinquish  the  Option  and  Option  Shares,  if any,  in  accordance  with the
provisions of this Section 15 and (ii) the Surrender  Price. The Surrender Price
shall be payable in immediately available funds on or before the second business
day following receipt of such notice by Issuer.

      (c) To the  extent  that  Issuer is  prohibited  under  applicable  law or
regulation,  or as a consequence of  administrative  policy, or as a result of a
written agreement or other binding  obligation with a governmental or regulatory
body or agency, from paying the Surrender Price to Grantee in full, Issuer shall
immediately so notify  Grantee and thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,
from time to time, to Grantee,  the portion of the Surrender Price that it is no
longer prohibited from paying, within five business days after the date on which
Issuer is no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time
after  delivery  of a notice of  surrender  pursuant  to  paragraph  (b) of this
Section 15 is prohibited under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence
of administrative policy, or as a result of a written agreement or

                                       18

<PAGE>



other binding obligation with a governmental or regulatory body or agency,  from
paying to Grantee  the  Surrender  Price in full,  (i) Issuer  shall (A) use its
reasonable  best efforts to obtain all required  regulatory and legal  approvals
and to file any  required  notices as promptly as  practicable  in order to make
such  payments,  (B)  within  five  days of the  submission  or  receipt  of any
documents  relating to any such regulatory and legal approvals,  provide Grantee
with copies of the same, and (c) keep Grantee  advised of both the status of any
such request for regulatory and legal approvals, as well as any discussions with
any relevant  regulatory or other third party reasonably related to the same and
(ii)  Grantee  may revoke such  notice of  surrender  by delivery of a notice of
revocation  to Issuer  and,  upon  delivery of such  notice of  revocation,  the
Exercise  Termination Event shall be extended to a date six months from the date
on which the  Exercise  Termination  Event  would have  occurred  if not for the
provisions of this Section  15(c) (during which period  Grantee may exercise any
of its rights  hereunder,  including any and all rights pursuant to this Section
15).

      16. The parties  hereto  acknowledge  that damages  would be an inadequate
remedy  for a breach of this  Agreement  by  either  party  hereto  and that the
obligations  of the parties  hereto shall be  enforceable by either party hereto
through  injunctive or other  equitable  relief.  In connection  therewith  both
parties waive the posting of any bond or similar requirement.

      17. If any term,  provision,  covenant or  restriction  contained  in this
Agreement  is held  by a court  or a  federal  or  state  regulatory  agency  of
competent  jurisdiction to be invalid,  void or unenforceable,  the remainder of
the terms, provisions and covenants and restrictions contained in this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or  invalidated.  If for any reason such court or regulatory  agency  determines
that the Holder is not  permitted  to acquire,  or Issuer or  Substitute  Option
Issuer, as the case may be, is not permitted to repurchase  pursuant to Sections
7 or 9, as the case may be, the full number of shares of Common  Stock  provided
in  Section  l(a)  hereof (as  adjusted  pursuant  to Section  l(b) or Section 5
hereof),  it is the  express  intention  of Issuer  (which  shall be  binding on
Substitute Option Issuer) to allow the Holder to acquire or to require Issuer or
Substitute  Option Issuer,  as the case may be, to repurchase such lesser number
of shares as may be permissible, without any amendment or modification hereof.


                                       19

<PAGE>



      18.  All  notices,  requests,  claims,  demands  and other  communications
hereunder  shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person,  by
fax,  telecopy,  or by registered or certified  mail  (postage  prepaid,  return
receipt  requested) at the respective  addresses of the parties set forth in the
Merger Agreement.

      19. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in accordance  with
the  laws of the  State of  Delaware,  without  regard  to the  conflict  of law
principles  thereof  (except to the extent that mandatory  provisions of Federal
law are applicable).

      20. This  Agreement may be executed in two or more  counterparts,  each of
which shall be deemed to be an original,  but all of which shall  constitute one
and the same agreement.

      21. Except as otherwise  expressly  provided  herein,  each of the parties
hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its behalf
in connection with the transactions  contemplated hereunder,  including fees and
expenses of its own financial consultants,  investment bankers,  accountants and
counsel.

      22.  Except  as  otherwise  expressly  provided  herein  or in the  Merger
Agreement, this Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties with
respect to the  transactions  contemplated  hereunder and  supersedes  all prior
arrangements or understandings with respect thereof,  written or oral. The terms
and  conditions of this  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assignees.
Nothing in this Agreement,  expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any
party,  other than the  parties  hereto,  and their  respective  successors  and
permitted assignees, any rights,  remedies,  obligations or liabilities under or
by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.

      23.  Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein shall
have the meanings assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement.


                                       20

<PAGE>


      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the parties has caused this  Agreement to be
executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized,  all as of the
date first above written.

ATTEST:                                       COHOES BANCORP, INC.



  /s/ Richard A. Ahl                          By:  /s/ Harry L. Robinson
- ---------------------------                       ---------------------------
Richard A. Ahl, Secretary                         Harry L. Robinson, President



ATTEST:                                       HUDSON RIVER BANCORP, INC.



 /s/ Holly Rappleyea                          By:  /s/ Carl A. F.orio
- ---------------------------                       ---------------------------
Holly Rappleyea, Secretary                        Carl A. Florio, President


                                       21



                                                                     Exhibit 2.3

                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

      STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT,  dated as of April 25, 2000,  between HUDSON RIVER
BANCORP, INC., a Delaware corporation  ("Grantee"),  and COHOES BANCORP, INC., a
Delaware corporation ("Issuer").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

      WHEREAS,  Grantee and Issuer have entered  into an  Agreement  and Plan of
Merger on even date herewith (the "Merger Agreement");

      WHEREAS,  as a condition  and an  inducement  to Grantee to enter into the
Merger Agreement,  Issuer has agreed to grant Grantee the Option (as hereinafter
defined); and

      WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Issuer has approved the grant
of the Option and the Merger Agreement;

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants
and agreements set forth herein and in the Merger Agreement,  the parties hereto
agree as follows:

      1. (a)  Issuer  hereby  grants to Grantee  an  unconditional,  irrevocable
option  (the  "Option")  to  purchase,  subject  to the terms  hereof,  up to an
aggregate of 1,574,538 fully paid and nonassessable  shares of the common stock,
par value $.01 per  share,  of Issuer  ("Common  Stock") at a price per share of
$9.8125(the  "Option  Price");  provided,  that in no event  shall the number of
shares  for which  this  Option is  exercisable  exceed  19.9% of the issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock,  without giving effect to any shares subject
to or issued  pursuant to the Option.  The number of shares of Common Stock that
may be received upon the exercise of the Option and the Option Price are subject
to adjustment as herein set forth.

      (b) In the event that any additional  shares of Common Stock are issued or
otherwise  become  outstanding  after  the date of this  Agreement  (other  than
pursuant to this  Agreement  and pursuant to an event  described in Section 5(a)
hereof),  the number of shares of Common  Stock  subject to the Option  shall be
increased so that, after such issuance,  such number together with any shares of
Common Stock previously  issued pursuant  hereto,  equals 19.9% of the number of
shares of Common Stock then issued and outstanding  without giving effect to any
shares  subject or issued  pursuant to the  Option.  Nothing  contained  in this
Section l(b) or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to authorize  Issuer
to issue shares to others in breach of any provision of the Merger Agreement.

      2. (a) The Holder (as  hereinafter  defined) may  exercise the Option,  in
whole or part, and from time to time, if, but only if,

                                        1

<PAGE>



both an Initial  Triggering  Event (as  hereinafter  defined)  and a  Subsequent
Triggering  Event (as  hereinafter  defined)  shall have  occurred  prior to the
occurrence of an Exercise Termination Event (as hereinafter  defined),  provided
that the Holder shall have sent the written notice of such exercise (as provided
in  subsection  (e) of this  Section 2) within six  months  following  the first
Subsequent  Triggering  Event to occur  (or such  later  period as  provided  in
Section 10). Each of the following shall be an Exercise  Termination  Event: (i)
the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement); (ii) termination of the
Merger  Agreement in accordance with the provisions  thereof if such termination
occurs  prior  to the  occurrence  of an  Initial  Triggering  Event,  except  a
termination by Grantee  pursuant to Section 8.1(b) of the Merger Agreement where
the  breach by Issuer  giving  rise to the  termination  was  willful (a "Listed
Termination");  or (iii) the  passage  of 12 months  (or such  longer  period as
provided  in  Section  10) after  termination  of the Merger  Agreement  if such
termination  follows the occurrence of an Initial  Triggering  Event or a Listed
Termination  (provided  that if an  Initial  Triggering  Event  occurs  prior to
termination of the Merger  Agreement and continues  beyond such  termination and
prior to the passage of such 12-month  period,  or an Initial  Triggering  Event
occurs  after a Listed  Termination  and prior to the  passage  of such 12 month
period,  then in either case the Exercise  Termination  Event shall be 12 months
from the expiration of the Last Triggering Event (as hereinafter defined) but in
no event more than 18 months after such Merger Agreement termination). The "Last
Triggering  Event" shall mean the last Initial  Triggering Event to expire.  The
term  "Holder"  shall mean the  holder or  holders of the Option or any  portion
thereof.  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary contained herein, the Option
may not be exercised at any time when Grantee shall be in willful  breach of the
Merger  Agreement  such that Issuer  shall be entitled to  terminate  the Merger
Agreement  pursuant  to  Section  8.1(b)  thereof  as a result of such a willful
breach.

      (b) The term  "Initial  Triggering  Event" shall mean any of the following
events or transactions occurring on or after the date hereof:

                  (i) Issuer or any of its Significant  Subsidiaries (as defined
      in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X  promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
      Commission (the "SEC")) (an "Issuer Subsidiary"),  without having received
      Grantee's prior written  consent,  shall have entered into an agreement to
      engage in an

                                        2

<PAGE>



      Acquisition Transaction (as hereinafter defined) with any person (the term
      "person"  for  purposes  of this  Agreement  having the  meaning  assigned
      thereto in Sections 3(a)(9) and 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of
      1934,  as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and the rules and  regulations
      thereunder) other than Grantee or any of its Subsidiaries (each a "Grantee
      Subsidiary")  or the Board of  Directors  of Issuer (the  "Issuer  Board")
      shall have  recommended  that the shareholders of Issuer approve or accept
      any  Acquisition  Transaction  with any  person  other  than  Grantee or a
      Grantee  Subsidiary.  For  purposes of this  Agreement,  (a)  "Acquisition
      Transaction"  shall  mean (x) a merger or  consolidation,  or any  similar
      transaction,  involving  Issuer  or  any  Issuer  Subsidiary  (other  than
      mergers,  consolidations  or similar  transactions  (i)  involving  solely
      Issuer  and/or  one or  more  wholly-owned  Subsidiaries  of  the  Issuer,
      provided,  any such  transaction  is not entered  into in violation of the
      terms of the Merger  Agreement)  or (ii) in which  shareholders  of Issuer
      immediately  prior to completion of such  transaction  own at least 50% of
      the common stock of Issuer (or the  resulting or surviving  entity in such
      transaction),  provided,  any  such  transaction  is not  entered  into in
      violation of the terms of the Merger Agreement),  (y) a purchase, lease or
      other  acquisition  or  assumption of all or any  substantial  part of the
      assets or deposits of Issuer or any Issuer  Subsidiary,  or (z) a purchase
      or other  acquisition  (including by way of merger,  consolidation,  share
      exchange  or  otherwise)  of  securities  representing  10% or more of the
      voting  power  of  Issuer  or  any  Issuer  Subsidiary  and  (b)  "Grantee
      Subsidiary"  shall mean a subsidiary of Grantee  within the definition set
      forth in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act;

                  (ii)  Any  person,  other  than  the  Grantee  or any  Grantee
      Subsidiary,  shall  have  acquired  beneficial  ownership  or the right to
      acquire  beneficial  ownership of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of
      Common  Stock  (the  term  "beneficial  ownership"  for  purposes  of this
      Agreement  having the  meaning  assigned  thereto in Section  13(d) of the
      Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder);

                  (iii) It shall have been  publicly  announced  that any person
      (other than Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary) shall have made, or publicly
      disclosed  an  intention  to make,  a bona fide  proposal  to engage in an
      Acquisition Transaction;

                  (iv) (x) The Issuer Board,  without having received  Grantee's
      prior written consent, shall have withdrawn or

                                        3

<PAGE>



      modified (or publicly  announced  its  intention to withdraw or modify) in
      any manner adverse in any respect to Grantee its  recommendation  that the
      shareholders of Issuer approve the transactions contemplated by the Merger
      Agreement,  (y) Issuer or any Issuer  Subsidiary,  without having received
      Grantee's  prior  written  consent,  shall have  authorized,  recommended,
      proposed (or publicly  announced its intention to authorize,  recommend or
      propose) an agreement  to engage in an  Acquisition  Transaction  with any
      person other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary or (z) Issuer shall have
      provided  information  to or engaged in  negotiations  with a third  party
      relating to a possible Acquisition Transaction.

                  (v) Any person,  other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary,
      shall have filed with the SEC a  registration  statement  or tender  offer
      materials with respect to a potential  exchange or tender offer that would
      constitute  an  Acquisition  Transaction  (or  filed a  preliminary  proxy
      statement   with  the  SEC  with  respect  to  a  potential  vote  by  its
      shareholders  to approve  the  issuance of shares to be offered in such an
      exchange offer);

                  (vi) Issuer  shall have  willfully  breached  any  covenant or
      obligation  contained in the Merger Agreement after an overture is made by
      a third party to Issuer or its  shareholders  to engage in an  Acquisition
      Transaction,  and such breach (y) would  entitle  Grantee to terminate the
      Merger  Agreement  (whether  immediately  or after the giving of notice or
      passage  of time or both) and (z) shall not have been  cured  prior to the
      Notice Date (as defined below); or

                  (vii) Any person, other than Grantee or any Grantee Subsidiary
      and other than in connection with a transaction to which Grantee has given
      its prior written consent,  shall have filed an application or notice with
      any federal or state thrift or bank  regulatory  or  antitrust  authority,
      which application or notice has been accepted for processing, for approval
      to engage in an Acquisition Transaction.

      (c) The term "Subsequent Triggering Event" shall mean any of the following
events or transactions occurring after the date hereof:

                  (i) The  acquisition  by any person (other than Grantee or any
      Grantee  Subsidiary)  of  beneficial  ownership of 25% or more of the then
      outstanding Common Stock; or


                                        4

<PAGE>



                  (ii) The occurrence of an Initial  Triggering  Event described
      in  clause  (i) of  subsection  (b) of this  Section  2,  except  that the
      percentage  referred to in clause (z) of the second sentence thereof shall
      be 25%.

      (d) Issuer shall notify  Grantee  promptly in writing of the occurrence of
any  Initial  Triggering  Event or  Subsequent  Triggering  Event  (together,  a
"Triggering  Event"),  it being  understood  that the  giving of such  notice by
Issuer  shall not be a  condition  to the right of the  Holder to  exercise  the
Option.

      (e) In the event the  Holder is  entitled  to and wishes to  exercise  the
Option (or any portion  thereof),  it shall send to Issuer a written notice (the
date of which being herein referred to as the "Notice Date")  specifying (i) the
total  number of shares it will  purchase  pursuant to such  exercise and (ii) a
place and date not earlier than three  business  days nor later than 60 business
days from the Notice Date for the closing of such purchase (the "Closing Date");
provided,  that if  prior  notification  to or  approval  of any  regulatory  or
antitrust agency is required in connection with such purchase,  the Holder shall
promptly file the required  notice or application  for approval,  shall promptly
notify  Issuer of such filing and shall  expeditiously  process the same and the
period of time that  otherwise  would run  pursuant to this  sentence  shall run
instead from the date on which any required notification periods have expired or
been  terminated or such approvals have been obtained and any requisite  waiting
period or periods shall have passed.  Any exercise of the Option shall be deemed
to occur on the  Notice  Date  relating  thereto.  The term  "business  day" for
purposes of this Agreement means any day, excluding  Saturdays,  Sundays and any
other  day that is a legal  holiday  in the  State of New York or a day on which
banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized by law or executive
order to close.

      (f) At the closing  referred to in  subsection  (e) of this Section 2, the
Holder shall (i) pay to Issuer the  aggregate  purchase  price for the shares of
Common Stock  purchased  pursuant to the  exercise of the Option in  immediately
available funds by wire transfer to a bank account designated by Issuer and (ii)
present  and  surrender  this  Agreement  to Issuer at its  principal  executive
offices,  provided that the failure or refusal of the Issuer to designate such a
bank account or accept surrender of this Agreement shall not preclude the Holder
from exercising the Option.


                                        5

<PAGE>



      (g) At such  closing,  simultaneously  with the  delivery  of  immediately
available  funds as provided in  subsection  (f) of this Section 2, Issuer shall
deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates  representing  the number of
shares of Common  Stock  purchased by the Holder and, if the Option is exercised
in part only,  a new  Option  evidencing  the  rights of the  Holder  thereof to
purchase the balance of the shares purchasable  hereunder,  and the Holder shall
deliver to Issuer a copy of this Agreement and a letter agreeing that the Holder
will not offer to sell or  otherwise  dispose  of such  shares in  violation  of
applicable law or the provisions of this Agreement.

      (h) Certificates for Common Stock delivered at a closing  hereunder may be
endorsed with a restrictive legend that shall read substantially as follows:

            "The  transfer  of the shares  represented  by this  certificate  is
      subject to certain  provisions  of an  agreement  between  the  registered
      holder  hereof  and Issuer and to resale  restrictions  arising  under the
      Securities Act of 1933, as amended. A copy of such agreement is on file at
      the  principal  office of Issuer and will be provided to the holder hereof
      without charge upon receipt by Issuer of a written request therefor."

It is understood and agreed that:  (i) the reference to the resale  restrictions
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"), in the above
legend shall be removed by delivery of  substitute  certificate(s)  without such
reference if the Holder  shall have  delivered to Issuer a copy of a letter from
the staff of the SEC, or an opinion of counsel, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory  to Issuer,  to the effect  that such  legend is not  required  for
purposes of the  Securities  Act; (ii) the  reference to the  provisions of this
Agreement  in the above  legend  shall be  removed  by  delivery  of  substitute
certificate(s)   without  such  reference  if  the  shares  have  been  sold  or
transferred  in  compliance  with the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and under
circumstances that do not require the retention of such reference in the opinion
of  counsel  to the  Holder in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to
Issuer;  and (iii) the legend shall be removed in its entirety if the conditions
in the  preceding  clauses (i) and (ii) are both  satisfied.  In addition,  such
certificates shall bear any other legend as may be required by law.

      (i) Upon the  giving by the  Holder to  Issuer  of the  written  notice of
exercise of the Option provided for under  subsection (e) of this Section 2, the
tender of the applicable purchase price in

                                        6

<PAGE>



immediately  available  funds  and the  tender  of a copy of this  Agreement  to
Issuer,  the Holder  shall be deemed,  subject to the  receipt of any  necessary
regulatory  approvals,  to be the holder of record of the shares of Common Stock
issuable upon such  exercise,  notwithstanding  that the stock transfer books of
Issuer  shall then be closed or that  certificates  representing  such shares of
Common Stock shall not then be actually  delivered  to the Holder.  Issuer shall
pay all expenses,  and any and all United States federal,  state and local taxes
and other charges that may be payable in connection with the preparation,  issue
and  delivery  of stock  certificates  under  this  Section 2 in the name of the
Holder or its assignee, transferee or designee.

      3.  Issuer  agrees:  (i) that it shall at all  times  maintain,  free from
preemptive  rights,  sufficient  authorized  but unissued or treasury  shares of
Common   Stock  so  that  the  Option  may  be  exercised   without   additional
authorization  of  Common  Stock  after  giving  effect  to all  other  options,
warrants, convertible securities and other rights to purchase Common Stock; (ii)
that it will not, by charter amendment or through reorganization, consolidation,
merger,  dissolution or sale of assets,  or by any other voluntary act, avoid or
seek  to  avoid  the   observance  or  performance  of  any  of  the  covenants,
stipulations  or  conditions  to be observed or  performed  hereunder by Issuer;
(iii)  promptly  to take  all  action  as may  from  time  to  time be  required
(including  without  limitation  (x)  complying  with all  applicable  premerger
notification,  reporting and waiting period requirements  specified in 15 U.S.C.
Section 18a and regulations  promulgated  thereunder and (y) in the event, under
any state or federal  thrift or banking law,  prior approval of or notice to any
state or federal  regulatory  authority  is  necessary  before the Option may be
exercised,  cooperating  fully with the Holder in preparing such applications or
notices  and  providing  such  information  to such state or federal  regulatory
authority  as they may  require) in order to permit the Holder to  exercise  the
Option and Issuer duly and  effectively to issue shares of Common Stock pursuant
hereto;  and (iv)  promptly  to take all action  provided  herein to protect the
rights of the Holder against dilution.

      4. This  Agreement  (and the  Option  granted  hereby)  are  exchangeable,
without expense, at the option of the Holder, upon presentation and surrender of
this Agreement at the principal office of Issuer, for other Agreements providing
for Options of different denominations entitling the holder thereof to purchase,
on the same terms and subject to the same conditions as are set forth herein, in
the aggregate the same number of shares of Common Stock  purchasable  hereunder.
The terms "Agreement" and "Option" as

                                        7

<PAGE>



used herein include any Agreements and related  Options for which this Agreement
(and the Option  granted  hereby) may be  exchanged.  Upon  receipt by Issuer of
evidence  reasonably  satisfactory  to it of the  loss,  theft,  destruction  or
mutilation of this Agreement, and (in the case of loss, theft or destruction) of
reasonably satisfactory indemnification,  and upon surrender and cancellation of
this Agreement, if mutilated, Issuer will execute and deliver a new Agreement of
like  tenor  and date.  Any such new  Agreement  executed  and  delivered  shall
constitute an additional  contractual  obligation on the part of Issuer, whether
or not the Agreement so lost,  stolen,  destroyed or mutilated shall at any time
be enforceable by anyone.

      5. In addition to the  adjustment  in the number of shares of Common Stock
that are  purchasable  upon exercise of the Option pursuant to Section 1 of this
Agreement, the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of
the Option and the Option Price shall be subject to adjustment from time to time
as provided in this Section 5.

      (a) In the event of any change in Issuer Common Stock by reason of a stock
dividend,  stock split,  split-up,  recapitalization,  combination,  exchange of
shares or  similar  transaction,  the type and  number  of shares or  securities
subject to the Option  shall be  adjusted  appropriately,  and proper  provision
shall be made in the agreements  governing such transaction so that Holder shall
receive,  upon  exercise of the Option,  the number and class of shares or other
securities  or  property  that Holder  would have  received in respect of Issuer
Common Stock if the Option had been exercised  immediately  prior to such event,
or the record date therefor,  as applicable.  If any additional shares of Issuer
Common Stock are issued after the date of this Agreement (other than pursuant to
an event  described  in the first  sentence of this  Section  5(a) or other than
pursuant to this Agreement), the number of shares of Issuer Common Stock subject
to the option shall be adjusted so that,  after such issuance,  it together with
any shares of Issuer Common Stock  previously  issued  pursuant  hereto,  equals
19.9%  of  the  number  of  shares  of  Issuer  Common  Stock  then  issued  and
outstanding,  without giving effect to any shares subject to or issued  pursuant
to the Option.

      (b)  Whenever  the  number  of shares of  Common  Stock  purchasable  upon
exercise  hereof is adjusted as  provided  in this  Section 5, the Option  Price
shall be adjusted by multiplying  the Option Price by a fraction,  the numerator
of which  shall be equal to the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  purchasable
prior to the adjustment and the

                                        8

<PAGE>



denominator  of which  shall be equal to the  number of  shares of Common  Stock
purchasable after the adjustment.

      6. Upon the occurrence of a Subsequent  Triggering Event that occurs prior
to an  Exercise  Termination  Event,  Issuer  shall,  at the  request of Grantee
delivered  within six months (or such later period as provided in Section 10) of
such Subsequent  Triggering Event (whether on its own behalf or on behalf of any
subsequent  holder of this  Option  (or part  thereof)  or any of the  shares of
Common Stock issued pursuant hereto),  promptly prepare, file and keep current a
shelf  registration  statement under the Securities Act covering this Option and
any  shares  issued  and  issuable  pursuant  to this  Option  and shall use its
reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective
and  remain  current in order to permit  the sale or other  disposition  of this
Option and any shares of Common Stock  issued upon total or partial  exercise of
this  Option  ("Option  Shares")  in  accordance  with any  plan of  disposition
requested by Grantee.  Issuer will use its reasonable best efforts to cause such
registration statement promptly to become effective and then to remain effective
for  such  period  not in  excess  of 6 months  from  the day such  registration
statement  first  becomes  effective or such  shorter time as may be  reasonably
necessary  to effect such sales or other  dispositions.  Grantee  shall have the
right to demand two such  registrations,  provided that any second  registration
shall be requested by Grantee within 12 months (or such later period as provided
in Section 10) following the occurrence of the Subsequent  Triggering Event. The
Issuer shall bear the costs of such  registrations  (including,  but not limited
to,  Issuer's  attorneys'  fees,  printing  costs and  filing  fees,  except for
underwriting   discounts  or  commissions,   brokers'  fees  and  the  fees  and
disbursements   of   Grantee's   counsel   related   thereto).   The   foregoing
notwithstanding,  if, at the time of any request by Grantee for  registration of
the Option or Option Shares as provided above,  Issuer is in  registration  with
respect to an underwritten  public offering by Issuer of shares of Common Stock,
and if in the good  faith  judgment  of the  managing  underwriter  or  managing
underwriters,  or,  if  none,  the sole  underwriter  or  underwriters,  of such
offering,  the offer and sale of the  Option  Shares  would  interfere  with the
successful marketing of the shares of Common Stock offered by Issuer, the number
of  Option  Shares  otherwise  to  be  covered  in  the  registration  statement
contemplated  hereby  may be  reduced;  provided,  however,  that after any such
required  reduction  the number of Option Shares to be included in such offering
for the account of all Holders shall constitute at least 25% of the total number
of shares to be sold by the Holders and Issuer in the  aggregate;  and  provided
further, however, that if

                                        9

<PAGE>



such reduction occurs,  then Issuer shall file a registration  statement for the
balance as promptly as practicable  thereafter as to which no reduction pursuant
to this Section 6 shall be permitted or occur and the Holder shall thereafter be
entitled to one  additional  registration  and the 12-month  period  referred to
above  shall be  increased  to 18 months.  Each such  Holder  shall  provide all
information  reasonably  requested by Issuer for  inclusion in any  registration
statement to be filed  hereunder.  If requested by any such Holder in connection
with  such  registration,  Issuer  shall  become  a  party  to any  underwriting
agreement  relating  to the  sale of such  shares,  but  only to the  extent  of
obligating  itself in respect of  representations,  warranties,  indemnities and
other  agreements  customarily  included  in such  underwriting  agreements  for
Issuer. Upon receiving any request under this Section 6 from any Holder,  Issuer
agrees to send a copy thereof to any other person known to Issuer to be entitled
to  registration  rights under this Section 6, in each case by promptly  mailing
the same,  postage prepaid,  to the address of record of the persons entitled to
receive such copies.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein,
in no event shall the number of registrations that Issuer is obligated to effect
be increased by reason of the fact that there shall be more than one Holder as a
result of any assignment or division of this Agreement.

      7. (a) At any time after the occurrence of a Repurchase  Event (as defined
below)  (i) at the  request  of  the  Holder,  delivered  prior  to an  Exercise
Termination  Event (or such later period as provided in Section 10),  Issuer (or
any successor  thereto)  shall  repurchase the Option from the Holder at a price
(the  "Option   Repurchase  Price")  equal  to  the  amount  by  which  (A)  the
Market/Offer  Price (as defined below) exceeds (B) the Option Price,  multiplied
by the number of shares for which this Option may then be exercised  and (ii) at
the  request  of the owner of  Option  Shares  from time to time (the  "Owner"),
delivered  prior to an  Exercise  Termination  Event  (or such  later  period as
provided in Section 10), Issuer (or any successor thereto) shall repurchase such
number of the Option  Shares  from the Owner as the Owner shall  designate  at a
price (the "Option  Share  Repurchase  Price") equal to the  Market/Offer  Price
multiplied by the number of Option Shares so designated.  The term "Market/Offer
Price"  shall  mean the  highest  of (i) the price per share of Common  Stock at
which a tender or  exchange  offer  therefor  has been made,  (ii) the price per
share of Common Stock paid or to be paid by any third party,  other than Grantee
or a  Grantee  Subsidiary,  pursuant  to an  agreement  with  Issuer of the kind
described in Section 2(b)(i) hereof,  (iii) the highest closing price for shares
of Common Stock within the six-month period  immediately  preceding the date the
Holder gives notice of the required repurchase of this Option or the Owner gives
notice of the required  repurchase of Option Shares, as the case may be, or (iv)
in the event of a sale or  transfer of all or any  substantial  part of Issuer's
assets or  deposits,  the sum of the net price paid in such sale for such assets
or deposits and the current  market value of the  remaining net assets of Issuer
as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm selected by the
Holder or the Owner,  as the case may be, and  reasonably  acceptable to Issuer,
divided by the  number of shares of Common  Stock of Issuer  outstanding  at the
time of  such  sale.  In  determining  the  Market/Offer  Price,  the  value  of
consideration  other than cash shall be  determined  by a nationally  recognized
investment banking firm selected by the Holder or Owner, as the case may be, and
reasonably acceptable to Issuer.

      (b) The Holder and the Owner,  as the case may be, may  exercise its right
to require  Issuer to repurchase  the Option and any Option  Shares  pursuant to
this  Section 7 by  surrendering  for such purpose to Issuer,  at its  principal
office,  a copy  of  this  Agreement  or  certificates  for  Option  Shares,  as
applicable,  accompanied by a written notice or notices  stating that the Holder
or the Owner,  as the case may be, elects to require  Issuer to repurchase  this
Option  and/or the  Option  Shares in  accordance  with the  provisions  of this
Section 7. The Owner shall also  represent  and warrant  that it has sole record
and  beneficial  ownership of such Option Shares and that such Option Shares are
free and clear of all liens. As promptly as practicable, and in any event within
five  business  days  after the  surrender  of the  Option  and/or  certificates
representing  Option  Shares and the receipt of such notice or notices  relating
thereto,  Issuer shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Holder the Option
Repurchase  Price and/or to the Owner the Option Share Repurchase Price therefor
or the portion thereof that Issuer is not then prohibited  under  applicable law
and regulation from so delivering.

      (c) To the  extent  that  Issuer is  prohibited  under  applicable  law or
regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative policy, from repurchasing the
Option and/or the Option Shares in full,  Issuer shall immediately so notify the
Holder and/or the Owner and  thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,  from
time to time, to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the portion of the
Option  Repurchase  Price and the Option Share Repurchase  Price,  respectively,
that it is no longer prohibited from delivering, within five business days after
the date on which Issuer is no longer so prohibited;  provided, however, that if
Issuer at any time

                                       10

<PAGE>



after  delivery  of a notice of  repurchase  pursuant to  paragraph  (b) of this
Section 7 is prohibited under applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence
of administrative policy, or as a result of a written agreement or other binding
obligation with a governmental or regulatory body or agency,  from delivering to
the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate, the Option Repurchase Price and the
Option  Share  Repurchase  Price,  respectively,  in part or in full (and Issuer
hereby  undertakes  to use its  reasonable  best  efforts to obtain all required
regulatory and legal  approvals and to file any required  notices as promptly as
practicable  in order to accomplish  such  repurchase),  the Holder or Owner may
revoke its notice of repurchase of the Option and/or the Option Shares either in
whole or to the extent of the prohibition, whereupon, in the latter case, Issuer
shall promptly (i) deliver to the Holder and/or the Owner, as appropriate,  that
portion of the Option  Repurchase Price and/or the Option Share Repurchase Price
that Issuer is not prohibited  from delivering with respect to Options or Option
Shares as to which the Holder or the Owner,  as the case may be, has not revoked
its  repurchase  demand;  and (ii) deliver,  as  appropriate,  either (A) to the
Holder,  a new Stock  Option  Agreement  evidencing  the right of the  Holder to
purchase  that  number of shares of Common  Stock  obtained by  multiplying  the
number  of  shares of Common  Stock  for  which  the  surrendered  Stock  Option
Agreement was exercisable at the time of delivery of the notice of repurchase by
a  fraction,  the  numerator  of which is the Option  Repurchase  Price less the
portion thereof theretofore delivered to the Holder and the denominator of which
is the Option Repurchase  Price,  and/or (B) to the Owner, a certificate for the
Option  Shares  it is then  so  prohibited  from  repurchasing.  If an  Exercise
Termination  Event shall have occurred prior to the date of the notice by Issuer
described in the first sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to
occur at any time before the  expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day
after such date,  the Holder  shall  nonetheless  have the right to exercise the
Option until the expiration of such 30-day period.

      (d) For purposes of this Section 7, a  "Repurchase  Event" shall be deemed
to  have  occurred  upon  the  occurrence  of  any of the  following  events  or
transactions after the date hereof:

                  (i) the  acquisition  by any person (other than Grantee or any
      Grantee  Subsidiary)  of  beneficial  ownership of 50% or more of the then
      outstanding Common Stock; or

                  (ii) the consummation of any Acquisition Transaction described
      in Section  2(b)(i)  hereof,  except  that the  percentage  referred to in
      clause (z) shall be 50%.

                                       11

<PAGE>



      8. (a) In the event that prior to an Exercise  Termination  Event,  Issuer
shall enter into an agreement (i) to consolidate  with or merge into any person,
other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, or engage in a plan of exchange with
any person,  other than Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary and Issuer shall not be
the continuing or surviving  corporation of such  consolidation or merger or the
acquirer in such plan of exchange, (ii) to permit any person, other than Grantee
or a Grantee Subsidiary, to merge into Issuer or be acquired by Issuer in a plan
of  exchange  and Issuer  shall be the  continuing  or  surviving  or  acquiring
corporation,  but, in connection with such merger or plan of exchange,  the then
outstanding  shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for stock
or other  securities  of any other  person or cash or any other  property or the
then  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock  shall  after such  merger or plan of
exchange represent less than 50% of the outstanding shares and share equivalents
of the merged or acquiring  company,  or (iii) to sell or otherwise transfer all
or a substantial part of its or the Issuer savings bank  Subsidiary's  assets or
deposits to any person, other than Grantee or a Grantee Subsidiary, then, and in
each such case,  the  agreement  governing  such  transaction  shall make proper
provision  so  that  the  Option  shall,  upon  the  consummation  of  any  such
transaction  and upon the terms and  conditions  set forth herein,  be converted
into, or exchanged for, an option (the "Substitute  Option"), at the election of
the Holder, of either (x) the Acquiring  Corporation (as hereinafter defined) or
(y) any person that controls the Acquiring Corporation.

      (b)         The following terms have the meanings indicated:

                  (i) "Acquiring  Corporation"  shall mean (i) the continuing or
      surviving  person of a consolidation  or merger with Issuer (if other than
      Issuer),  (ii) the acquiring  person in a plan of exchange in which Issuer
      is  acquired,  (iii) the Issuer in a merger or plan of  exchange  in which
      Issuer is the  continuing or surviving or acquiring  person,  and (iv) the
      transferee of all or a substantial part of Issuer's assets or deposits (or
      the assets or deposits of the Issuer savings bank Subsidiary).

                  (ii)  "Substitute  Common  Stock"  shall mean the common stock
      issued  by the  issuer  of the  Substitute  Option  upon  exercise  of the
      Substitute Option.

                  (iii) "Assigned Value" shall mean the  Market/Offer  Price, as
      defined in Section 7.

                                       12

<PAGE>



                  (iv) "Average Price" shall mean the average closing price of a
      share of the Substitute  Common Stock for one year  immediately  preceding
      the consolidation,  merger, share exchange or sale in question,  but in no
      event  higher than the closing  price of the shares of  Substitute  Common
      Stock on the day preceding such  consolidation,  merger,  share echange or
      sale;  provided that if Issuer is the issuer of the Substitute Option, the
      Average  Price shall be computed  with  respect to a share of common stock
      issued by the person  merging into Issuer or by any company which controls
      or is controlled by such person, as the Holder may elect.

      (c) The  Substitute  Option  shall  have  the same  terms  as the  Option,
provided that if the terms of the Substitute  Option cannot,  for legal reasons,
be the same as the Option,  such terms shall be as similar as possible and in no
event less advantageous to the Holder. The issuer of the Substitute Option shall
also enter into an agreement  with the then Holder or Holders of the  Substitute
Option in substantially the same form as this Agreement (after giving effect for
such  purpose  to the  provisions  of  Section  9),  which  agreement  shall  be
applicable to the Substitute Option.

      (d) The Substitute  Option shall be exercisable  for such number of shares
of Substitute  Common Stock as is equal to the Assigned Value  multiplied by the
number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  for  which  the  Option  was  exercisable
immediately  prior to the event described in the first sentence of Section 8(a),
divided by the Average Price.  The exercise  price of the Substitute  Option per
share of  Substitute  Common  Stock  shall  then be equal  to the  Option  Price
multiplied  by a fraction,  the numerator of which shall be the number of shares
of Common Stock for which the Option was  exercisable  immediately  prior to the
event  described in the first  sentence of Section 8(a) and the  denominator  of
which  shall be the number of shares of  Substitute  Common  Stock for which the
Substitute Option is exercisable.

      (e) In no event,  pursuant to any of the foregoing  paragraphs,  shall the
Substitute Option be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the shares of Substitute
Common Stock  outstanding  prior to exercise of the  Substitute  Option.  In the
event that the Substitute Option would be exercisable for more than 19.9% of the
shares of  Substitute  Common Stock  outstanding  prior to exercise but for this
clause (e), the issuer of the Substitute Option (the "Substitute Option Issuer")
shall make a cash  payment to Holder equal to the excess of (i) the value of the
Substitute  Option  without  giving effect to the  limitation in this clause (e)
over (ii) the value of

                                       13

<PAGE>



the Substitute  Option after giving effect to the limitation in this clause (e).
This  difference  in  value  shall  be  determined  by a  nationally  recognized
investment  banking  firm  selected by a majority in interest of the Holders and
the Owners and reasonably acceptable to the Acquiring Corporation.

      (f) Issuer shall not enter into any  transaction  described in  subsection
(a) of this  Section 8 unless the  Acquiring  Corporation  and any  person  that
controls the  Acquiring  Corporation  assume in writing all the  obligations  of
Issuer hereunder.

      9.  (a) At the  request  of the  holder  of  the  Substitute  Option  (the
"Substitute  Option Holder"),  the Substitute Option Issuer shall repurchase the
Substitute  Option from the Substitute Option Holder at a price (the "Substitute
Option  Repurchase  Price") equal to the amount by which (i) the Highest Closing
Price (as hereinafter defined) exceeds (ii) the exercise price of the Substitute
Option,  multiplied by the number of shares of Substitute Common Stock for which
the  Substitute  Option may then be  exercised,  and at the request of the owner
(the  "Substitute  Share  Owner")  of shares of  Substitute  Common  Stock  (the
"Substitute  Shares"),   the  Substitute  Option  Issuer  shall  repurchase  the
Substitute Shares at a price (the "Substitute Share Repurchase  Price") equal to
the Highest  Closing  Price  multiplied  by the number of  Substitute  Shares so
designated.  The term  "Highest  Closing  Price" shall mean the highest  closing
price for  shares  of  Substitute  Common  Stock  within  the  six-month  period
immediately  preceding the date the Substitute Option Holder gives notice of the
required repurchase of the Substitute Option or the Substitute Share Owner gives
notice of the required repurchase of the Substitute Shares, as applicable.

      (b) Each Substitute  Option Holder and Substitute Share Owner, as the case
may be, may  exercise its  respective  rights to require the  Substitute  Option
Issuer to repurchase the Substitute Option and the Substitute Shares pursuant to
this Section 9 by surrendering for such purpose to the Substitute Option Issuer,
at its principal  office,  the agreement for such Substitute  Option (or, in the
absence of such an agreement,  a copy of this Agreement) and/or certificates for
Substitute  Shares  accompanied by a written notice or notices  stating that the
Substitute  Option  Holder or the  Substitute  Share Owner,  as the case may be,
elects to require the  Substitute  Option  Issuer to repurchase  the  Substitute
Option and/or the  Substitute  Shares in accordance  with the provisions of this
Section 9. As promptly as practicable and in any event within five business days
after the surrender of the Substitute  Option and/or  certificates  representing
Substitute Shares and the receipt of such

                                       14

<PAGE>



notice or notices relating  thereto,  the Substitute Option Issuer shall deliver
or cause to be delivered to the Substitute  Option Holder the Substitute  Option
Repurchase  Price  and/or to the  Substitute  Share Owner the  Substitute  Share
Repurchase  Price  therefor or, in either case,  the portion  thereof  which the
Substitute  Option  Issuer  is not  then  prohibited  under  applicable  law and
regulation from so delivering.

      (c) To the extent that the  Substitute  Option Issuer is prohibited  under
applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative  policy, or
as  a  result  of a  written  agreement  or  other  binding  obligation  with  a
governmental  or regulatory  body or agency,  from  repurchasing  the Substitute
Option and/or the Substitute  Shares in part or in full,  the Substitute  Option
Issuer shall  immediately  so notify the  Substitute  Option  Holder  and/or the
Substitute  Share Owner and  thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,  from
time to time, to the Substitute Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner,
as appropriate, the portion of the Substitute Option Repurchase Price and/or the
Substitute  Share  Repurchase  Price,  respectively,   which  it  is  no  longer
prohibited  from  delivering,  within five business days after the date on which
the Substitute Option Issuer is no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that
if the  Substitute  Option  Issuer is at any time after  delivery of a notice of
repurchase  pursuant  to  subsection  (b) of this  Section  9  prohibited  under
applicable law or regulation,  or as a consequence of administrative  policy, or
as  a  result  of a  written  agreement  or  other  binding  obligation  with  a
governmental  or regulatory  body or agency,  from  delivering to the Substitute
Option Holder and/or the Substitute Share Owner, as appropriate,  the Substitute
Option Repurchase Price and the Substitute Share Repurchase Price, respectively,
in full (and the Substitute  Option Issuer shall use its reasonable best efforts
to  receive  all  required   regulatory  and  legal  approvals  as  promptly  as
practicable  in order to accomplish  such  repurchase),  the  Substitute  Option
Holder and/or  Substitute Share Owner may revoke its notice of repurchase of the
Substitute  Option or the Substitute  Shares either in whole or to the extent of
prohibition,  whereupon,  in the latter case, the Substitute Option Issuer shall
promptly (i) deliver to the Substitute  Option Holder or Substitute Share Owner,
as appropriate,  that portion of the Substitute  Option  Repurchase Price or the
Substitute  Share  Repurchase  Price that the  Substitute  Option  Issuer is not
prohibited from delivering; and (ii) deliver, as appropriate,  either (A) to the
Substitute  Option Holder, a new Substitute  Option  evidencing the right of the
Substitute  Option  Holder to purchase  that number of shares of the  Substitute
Common Stock obtained by multiplying the number of shares of the

                                       15

<PAGE>



Substitute  Common  Stock  for  which  the  surrendered  Substitute  Option  was
exercisable  at the time of delivery of the notice of  repurchase by a fraction,
the  numerator  of which is the  Substitute  Option  Repurchase  Price  less the
portion thereof  theretofore  delivered to the Substitute  Option Holder and the
denominator of which is the Substitute Option  Repurchase  Price,  and/or (B) to
the Substitute Share Owner, a certificate for the Substitute Option Shares it is
then so prohibited from  repurchasing.  If an Exercise  Termination  Event shall
have occurred  prior to the date of the notice by the  Substitute  Option Issuer
described in the first sentence of this subsection (c), or shall be scheduled to
occur at any time before the  expiration of a period ending on the thirtieth day
after such date, the Substitute Option Holder shall  nevertheless have the right
to exercise the Substitute Option until the expiration of such 30-day period.

      10. The 30-day,  6-month,  12-month or  18-month  periods for  exercise of
certain rights under Sections 2, 6, 7 and 9 shall be extended: (i) to the extent
necessary to obtain all  regulatory  approvals  for the exercise of such rights,
and for the  expiration  of all  statutory  waiting  periods;  (ii)  during  the
pendency of any temporary  restraining  order,  injunction or other legal bar to
the  exercise  of such  rights;  and  (iii)  to the  extent  necessary  to avoid
liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act by reason of such exercise.

      11. Issuer hereby represents and warrants to Grantee as follows:

      (a) Issuer has full  corporate  power and authority to execute and deliver
this  Agreement and to consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly and validly  authorized by the
Issuer Board on or prior to the date hereof and no other  corporate  proceedings
on the part of Issuer are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate
the  transactions  so  contemplated.  This  Agreement  has been duly and validly
executed and delivered by Issuer.

      (b) Issuer  has taken all  necessary  corporate  action to  authorize  and
reserve and to permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof through
the  termination  of this  Agreement  in  accordance  with its  terms  will have
reserved for issuance upon the exercise of the Option,  that number of shares of
Common  Stock equal to the maximum  number of shares of Common Stock at any time
and from time to time issuable hereunder, and all such shares, upon

                                       16

<PAGE>



issuance pursuant thereto, will be duly authorized,  validly issued, fully paid,
nonassessable,  and will be  delivered  free and  clear  of all  claims,  liens,
encumbrance and security interests and not subject to any preemptive rights.

      12. Grantee hereby represents and warrants to Issuer that:

      (a) Grantee has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into,
execute and deliver this  Agreement  and,  subject to any  approvals or consents
referred to herein,  to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  The
execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement  and  the   consummation   of  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized  by all  necessary
corporate  action on the part of Grantee and no other  corporate  proceedings on
the part of Grantee are necessary to authorize  this  Agreement or to consummate
the  transactions  so  contemplated.  This  Agreement has been duly executed and
delivered by Grantee.

      (b) The  Option is not  being,  and any  shares  of Common  Stock or other
securities acquired by Grantee upon exercise of the Option will not be, acquired
with a view to the public  distribution  thereof and will not be  transferred or
otherwise  disposed  of  except  in a  transaction  registered  or  exempt  from
registration under the Securities Act.

      13.  Neither  of the  parties  hereto  may  assign  any of its  rights  or
obligations  under this Agreement or the Option  created  hereunder to any other
person,  without the express written consent of the other party,  except that in
the event a Subsequent Triggering Event shall have occurred prior to an Exercise
Termination Event, Grantee, subject to the express provisions hereof, may assign
in whole or in part its  rights  and  obligations  hereunder  within  six months
following such Subsequent  Triggering Event;  provided,  however, that until the
date 15 days following the date on which the applicable bank or thrift regulator
has  approved an  application  by Grantee to acquire the shares of Common  Stock
subject to the Option,  but only if such  approval is required,  Grantee may not
assign  its  rights  under the Option  except in (i) a widely  dispersed  public
distribution,  (ii) a private placement in which no one party acquires the right
to purchase in excess of 2% of the voting shares of Issuer,  (iii) an assignment
to a single party (e.g., a broker or investment  banker) for the sole purpose of
conducting a widely  dispersed  public  distribution on Grantee's behalf or (iv)
any other manner approved by the applicable bank or thrift regulator.


                                       17

<PAGE>



      14.  Each of Grantee and Issuer will use its  reasonable  best  efforts to
make all  filings  with,  and to  obtain  consents  of,  all third  parties  and
governmental  authorities  necessary  to the  consummation  of the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

      15. (a) Grantee may, at any time following a Repurchase Event and prior to
the  occurrence  of an  Exercise  Termination  Event  (or such  later  period as
provided in Section 10),  relinquish the Option (together with any Option Shares
issued to and then owned by Grantee) to Issuer in exchange  for a cash fee equal
to the Surrender Price (as hereinafter defined); provided, however, that Grantee
may  not  exercise  its  rights  pursuant  to  this  Section  15 if  Issuer  has
repurchased the Option (or any portion thereof) or any Option Shares pursuant to
Section 7. The  "Surrender  Price" shall be equal to $4.4  million (i) plus,  if
applicable,  Grantee's purchase price with respect to any Option Shares and (ii)
minus, if applicable,  the excess of (A) the net cash amounts,  if any, received
by Grantee or a Grantee  Subsidiary  pursuant to the arms' length sale of Option
Shares (or any other  securities into which such Option Shares were converted or
exchanged) to any unaffiliated  party, over (B) Grantee's purchase price of such
Option Shares.

      (b) Grantee may exercise its right to relinquish the Option and any Option
Shares pursuant to this Section 15 by  surrendering to Issuer,  at its principal
office, a copy of this Agreement  together with  certificates for Option Shares,
if any,  accompanied  by a written  notice  stating (i) that  Grantee  elects to
relinquish  the  Option  and  Option  Shares,  if any,  in  accordance  with the
provisions of this Section 15 and (ii) the Surrender  Price. The Surrender Price
shall be payable in immediately available funds on or before the second business
day following receipt of such notice by Issuer.

      (c) To the  extent  that  Issuer is  prohibited  under  applicable  law or
regulation,  or as a consequence of  administrative  policy, or as a result of a
written agreement or other binding  obligation with a governmental or regulatory
body or agency, from paying the Surrender Price to Grantee in full, Issuer shall
immediately so notify  Grantee and thereafter  deliver or cause to be delivered,
from time to time, to Grantee,  the portion of the Surrender Price that it is no
longer prohibited from paying, within five business days after the date on which
Issuer is no longer so prohibited; provided, however, that if Issuer at any time
after  delivery  of a notice of  surrender  pursuant  to  paragraph  (b) of this
Section 15 is prohibited under applicable law or regulation, or as a consequence
of administrative policy, or as a result of a written agreement or

                                       18

<PAGE>



other binding obligation with a governmental or regulatory body or agency,  from
paying to Grantee  the  Surrender  Price in full,  (i) Issuer  shall (A) use its
reasonable  best efforts to obtain all required  regulatory and legal  approvals
and to file any  required  notices as promptly as  practicable  in order to make
such  payments,  (B)  within  five  days of the  submission  or  receipt  of any
documents  relating to any such regulatory and legal approvals,  provide Grantee
with copies of the same, and (c) keep Grantee  advised of both the status of any
such request for regulatory and legal approvals, as well as any discussions with
any relevant  regulatory or other third party reasonably related to the same and
(ii)  Grantee  may revoke such  notice of  surrender  by delivery of a notice of
revocation  to Issuer  and,  upon  delivery of such  notice of  revocation,  the
Exercise  Termination Event shall be extended to a date six months from the date
on which the  Exercise  Termination  Event  would have  occurred  if not for the
provisions of this Section  15(c) (during which period  Grantee may exercise any
of its rights  hereunder,  including any and all rights pursuant to this Section
15).

      16. The parties  hereto  acknowledge  that damages  would be an inadequate
remedy  for a breach of this  Agreement  by  either  party  hereto  and that the
obligations  of the parties  hereto shall be  enforceable by either party hereto
through  injunctive or other  equitable  relief.  In connection  therewith  both
parties waive the posting of any bond or similar requirement.

      17. If any term,  provision,  covenant or  restriction  contained  in this
Agreement  is held  by a court  or a  federal  or  state  regulatory  agency  of
competent  jurisdiction to be invalid,  void or unenforceable,  the remainder of
the terms, provisions and covenants and restrictions contained in this Agreement
shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired
or  invalidated.  If for any reason such court or regulatory  agency  determines
that the Holder is not  permitted  to acquire,  or Issuer or  Substitute  Option
Issuer, as the case may be, is not permitted to repurchase  pursuant to Sections
7 or 9, as the case may be, the full number of shares of Common  Stock  provided
in  Section  l(a)  hereof (as  adjusted  pursuant  to Section  l(b) or Section 5
hereof),  it is the  express  intention  of Issuer  (which  shall be  binding on
Substitute Option Issuer) to allow the Holder to acquire or to require Issuer or
Substitute  Option Issuer,  as the case may be, to repurchase such lesser number
of shares as may be permissible, without any amendment or modification hereof.


                                       19

<PAGE>



      18.  All  notices,  requests,  claims,  demands  and other  communications
hereunder  shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person,  by
fax,  telecopy,  or by registered or certified  mail  (postage  prepaid,  return
receipt  requested) at the respective  addresses of the parties set forth in the
Merger Agreement.

      19. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in accordance  with
the  laws of the  State of  Delaware,  without  regard  to the  conflict  of law
principles  thereof  (except to the extent that mandatory  provisions of Federal
law are applicable).

      20. This  Agreement may be executed in two or more  counterparts,  each of
which shall be deemed to be an original,  but all of which shall  constitute one
and the same agreement.

      21. Except as otherwise  expressly  provided  herein,  each of the parties
hereto shall bear and pay all costs and expenses incurred by it or on its behalf
in connection with the transactions  contemplated hereunder,  including fees and
expenses of its own financial consultants,  investment bankers,  accountants and
counsel.

      22.  Except  as  otherwise  expressly  provided  herein  or in the  Merger
Agreement, this Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties with
respect to the  transactions  contemplated  hereunder and  supersedes  all prior
arrangements or understandings with respect thereof,  written or oral. The terms
and  conditions of this  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assignees.
Nothing in this Agreement,  expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any
party,  other than the  parties  hereto,  and their  respective  successors  and
permitted assignees, any rights,  remedies,  obligations or liabilities under or
by reason of this Agreement, except as expressly provided herein.

      23.  Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not defined herein shall
have the meanings assigned thereto in the Merger Agreement.


                                       20

<PAGE>


      IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  each of the parties has caused this  Agreement to be
executed on its behalf by its officers thereunto duly authorized,  all as of the
date first above written.

ATTEST:                                       HUDSON RIVER BANCORP, INC.



 /s/ Holly Rappleyea                          By:  /s/ Carl A. F.orio
- ---------------------------                       ---------------------------
Holly Rappleyea, Secretary                        Carl A. Florio, President


ATTEST:                                       COHOES BANCORP, INC.



  /s/ Richard A. Ahl                          By:  /s/ Harry L. Robinson
- ---------------------------                       ---------------------------
Richard A. Ahl, Secretary                         Harry L. Robinson, President




                                       21



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