EXHIBIT 31.2

I, Thomas M. Lyons, certify that:

1.  I have  reviewed  this  quarterly  report on Form  10-Q/A of First  Sentinel
    Bancorp, Inc.;

2.  Based on my knowledge,  this report does not contain any untrue statement of
    a  material  fact or omit to state a  material  fact  necessary  to make the
    statements made, in light of the  circumstances  under which such statements
    were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.  Based  on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other  financial
    information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects
    the  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows of the
    registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.  The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible  for
    establishing and maintaining  disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
    in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) for the registrant and have:

a)  Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,  or caused such disclosure
    controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that
    material information relating to the registrant,  including its consolidated
    subsidiaries,  is  made  known  to  us  by  others  within  those  entities,
    particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b)  (paragraph omitted pursuant to SEC Release Nos. 33-8238 and 34-47986)

c)  Evaluated the  effectiveness  of the  registrant's  disclosure  controls and
    procedures  and  presented  in  this  report  our   conclusions   about  the
    effectiveness  of the disclosure  controls and procedures,  as of the end of
    the period covered by this report, based on such evaluation; and

d)  Disclosed  in this report any change in the  registrant's  internal  control
    over financial  reporting that occurred during the registrant's  most recent
    fiscal  quarter (the  registrant's  fourth fiscal  quarter in the case of an
    annual  report) that has  materially  affected,  or is reasonably  likely to
    materially  affect,  the  registrant's   internal  controls  over  financial
    reporting; and

5.  The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our
    most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting,  to the
    registrant's  auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's  board of
    directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a)  All  significant  deficiencies  and  material  weaknesses  in the  design or
    operation of internal control over financial  reporting which are reasonably
    likely to  adversely  affect the  registrant's  ability to record,  process,
    summarize and report financial information; and

b)  Any fraud,  whether  or not  material,  that  involves  management  or other
    employees who have a significant role in the  registrant's  internal control
    over financial reporting.

Date: January 28, 2004                      /s/ THOMAS M. LYONS
      ----------------                      -------------------
                                            Thomas M. Lyons
                                            Executive Vice President
                                            and Chief Financial Officer