**EXHIBIT 99  Press Release**

NEWS RELEASE

|                                                                                                                         | **For More  Information Contact:**                                                                                                                                               |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| To:          All  Area News Agencies                                       | John J. Dolan, Executive Vice  President                                                                                                                                         |
|                                                                                                                         | and Chief Financial Officer                                                                                                                                                      |
| From:       First  Commonwealth                                                           | First Commonwealth Financial  Corporation                                                                                                                                        |
|                  Financial  Corporation | (724) 349-7220                                                                                                                                                                   |
|                                                                                                                         |                              OR |
| Date:        December  5, 2003                                                       | J. Ardie Dillen, Chairman,  President and                                                                                                                                        |
|                                                                                                                         | Chief Executive Officer                                                                                                                                                          |
|                                                                                                                         | Pittsburgh Financial Corp.                                                                                                                                                       |
|                                                                                                                         | (724) 933-4528                                                                                                                                                                   |

FIRST COMMONWEALTHCOMPLETES ACQUISITION OF PITTSBURGH FINANCIAL

 

INDIANA, PA - First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE:FCF),headquartered in Indiana, PA, and Pittsburgh Financial Corp., headquartered inWexford, PA, jointly announced today that the shareholders of PittsburghFinancial have approved the previously announced merger of Pittsburgh Financialinto First Commonwealth.  All necessaryregulatory approvals have been received and the merger will be effective as ofthe close of business today. BankPittsburgh, the banking subsidiary of Pittsburgh Financial, will bemerged into First Commonwealth Bank and will operate as a division of FirstCommonwealth Bank until late March.  Itis expected that data processing systems and signage will be converted to theFirst Commonwealth name at that time.In commenting on the merger, Joseph E. O'Dell, President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of First Commonwealth, stated, "We are very pleased to welcomeButch Dillen and all of the Pittsburgh Financial directors, employees, shareholdersand customers to the First Commonwealth team."  J. Ardie "Butch" Dillen, Chairman, President and ChiefExecutive Officer of Pittsburgh Financial, added, "This is a very excitingopportunity for all of us at Pittsburgh Financial.  We are confident that this merger will benefit our shareholders,customers, employees and the communities that we serve."  Mr. Dillen will serve as First CommonwealthBank's Pittsburgh Regional President.Under the terms of the Merger Agreement between First Commonwealth andPittsburgh Financial, Pittsburgh Financial shareholders will be given theopportunity to receive either $20 cash or 1.387 shares of First Commonwealthstock for each share of Pittsburgh Financial stock (subject to proration, ifnecessary, to ensure that at least 60% of the merger consideration consists ofFirst Commonwealth stock).  The Bank ofNew York, as exchange agent in the 

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merger, will mail an election form and letter of transmittal to eachformer Pittsburgh Financial shareholder in approximately one week.  Following the election period, The Bank ofNew York will mail cash and/or certificates representing shares of FirstCommonwealth stock to each former Pittsburgh Financial shareholder who hasreturned a properly completed election form and certificates representingshares of Pittsburgh Financial stock.As a result of the merger, First Commonwealth will have total assets of $5.2billion.  It will continue to operatethrough its banking subsidiary, First Commonwealth Bank, in 17 counties inwestern and central Pennsylvania. Financial services and insurance products are also provided throughFirst Commonwealth Trust Company, First Commonwealth Financial Advisors andFirst Commonwealth Insurance Agency. Data processing and support services are offered through FirstCommonwealth Systems Corporation and First Commonwealth Professional Resources,Inc.*Statementscontained in this press release that are not historical facts are forwardlooking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995.  These statementscan be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as "willlikely result," "may," "are expected to," "isanticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intendsto" or other similar words.  Suchforward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that couldcause actual results to differ materially from estimated results.  Such risks and uncertainties include, butare not limited to, certain risks detailed in First Commonwealth's filings withthe Securities and Exchange Commission.***

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