Promotion-chasing Barnsley had to be happy with a point after being held by their big city rivals in a fiercely-contested derby which ended with both sides reduced to ten men.
Sheffield Wednesday striker Grant Holt was booked twice in the first half, the second time for a blatant dive in the box. He protested to whistle-happy referee Paul Taylor who quickly dismissed him from the field.
But Barnsley midfielder Paul Warhurst, making his debut after signing just 24 hours earlier, also saw red in the second half. After 54 minutes he gave the ball away and then fouled Steve Haslam to receive his second yellow card.
Barnsley had been the better side in the first period but Wednesday certainly finished the stronger. Yet overall the draw was a fair result in a frantic and heated South Yorkshire atmosphere.
Recalled striker Isaiah Rankin spurned a great chance for Barnsley after nine minutes, badly miscuing his volley from ten yards and then fellow frontman Jonathan Walters fired straight at Wednesday's on-loan keeper David Lucas.
Barnsley eventually made the breakthrough with a wonderful goal on 27 minutes.
Homegrown midfielder Antony Kay ran on to meet a cross from Jacob Burns and delivered a stunning right-foot volley from 20 yards that gave Lucas no chance.
But Wednesday were level just two and a half minutes later. Barnsley failed to clear their lines on at least three occasions and a poor punch from Sasa Ilic enabled visiting striker Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu to send a looping header just inside the far post.
Rankin again spurned a good chance for Barnsley early in the second half following a terrific cross from Walters on the left.
But once Warhurst had been ordered off, it was Wednesday who began to take charge, although it needed a magnificent save from Lucas to deny the otherwise ineffective Kevin Betsy on 72 minutes.
Six minutes later Wednesday's best player, Brian Barry-Murphy, cut inside two Barnsley defenders but then mistimed his shot from eight yards and Ilic was able to make an easy save.
The action continued to flow from end to end but neither side could manage to conjure up a winner.