I don't recommend an 8 speed drive with a 9 speed shifter. I couldn't get mine to shift efficiently or quietly even with the Jtek shiftmate. Some people have had luck but i personally found it to be unbearable. I was using an Ultegra brifter and shimano 600 8 speed RD.

I even took it to a competent LBS and they couldn't improve the shifting at all. If it was merely a dead click i could have lived with it but we were never able to get it to that point.