The shifters are 9 speed and the problem with the gears is due to the setup. Those shifters used a rapid rise rear derailleur that is at rests on the lowest gear. The slx derailleur starts at the highest gear but should also work with a good setup.
Stitching it up and patching from the inside works like a charm. I ran a Continental Racing King tubeless that way for over a year with no problems. I used super glue to stick two big patches over each other to cover the surgery.
