Exhibit 24.1

                   Consent of Silver, Freedman & Taff, L.L.P.







                                                              September 11, 1998


The Board of Trustees
Cohoes Savings Bank
75 Remsen Street
Cohoes, New York 12047


                    CONSENT OF SILVER FREEDMAN & TAFF, L.L.P.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We hereby  consent to the  references to this firm and our opinions in:
the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed by Cohoes Savings Bank, Cohoes, New
York, and all amendments thereto; in the Form H-(e)l-S for Cohoes Bancorp, Inc.,
and all amendments thereto;  and in the Application for Conversion on Form 86-AC
filed by Cohoes Savings Bank (the "Bank"),  and all amendments  thereto,  and in
the  Notice  and  Application  for Cohoes  Savings  Bank filed with the  Federal
Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  and all  amendments  thereto,  relating  to the
conversion of the Bank from a New York State chartered  mutual savings bank to a
New York State  chartered  stock savings bank,  the  concurrent  issuance of the
Bank's  outstanding  capital stock to Cohoes  Bancorp,  Inc., a holding  company
formed for such  purpose,  and the  offering of Cohoes  Bancorp,  Inc.'s  common
stock.

                                          /s/ SILVER, FREEDMAN & TAFF, L.L.P.

                                          SILVER, FREEDMAN & TAFF, L.L.P.