The eagerly anticipated South Yorkshire derby attracted a crowd of just short of 20,000 but proved to be rather a damp squib, with both defences emerging on top and chances few and far between.
It was also a clash that led to five bookings as tempers often frayed.
Barnsley were in desperate need of three points to revive their play-off dream but eventually were held to their seventh draw in eight games, while for Wednesday it proved to be a point hard earned in their chase for a automatic promotion slot.
Barnsley opened brightly and both full-backs Neil Austin and Tom Williams brought early saves from Wednesday keeper David Lucas.
Austin then started a flare-up following a fierce but fair challenge - which led to yellow cards being shown to Michael Chopra and Wednesday midfielder Joey O'Brien.
The visitors created the best opening of the half on 24 minutes, when brilliant play from top scorer Steven MacLean created space for himself before shooting inside the box but his drive cannoned back off the post.
Barnsley struggled to get going up front, with Michael Boulding too often a peripheral figure.
In the second half Barnsley tried to raise the tempo and Boulding was put through by Chopra but saw his effort well saved by the advancing Lucas.
There was a great chance for the Tykes to win the game on 67 minutes when Chris Shuker's low cross into the box found Chopra but his side-footed effort from 12 yards flashed wide.
Four minutes from time Shuker then played a delightful one-two with Chopra on the edge of the Wednesday box but instead of shooting first time he decided to take a touch and Graeme Lee came charging in to make a vital block.